


Colors

by Rossie_H



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Accidents, Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Alternate Universe - Past Lives, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angels, Angst, Blind Character, Blind Kageyama Tobio, Blindness, Blood, Body Dysphoria, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Brothers, Bus Crash, Car Accidents, Character Death, Death, Demons, Diseases, Domestic Violence, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling Angels, Falling In Love, Fate, Fate & Destiny, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Foster Care, Freckles, Graphic Description, Guardian Angels, I'm Sorry, Illnesses, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insecurity, Kissing, Love, M/M, Mountains, Pain, Panic, Panic Attacks, Past Lives, Protective Kageyama Tobio, Protectiveness, Serious Injuries, Sex, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Stranded, Strangers to Lovers, Suicide Attempt, Supernatural Elements, Volleyball, anemic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2018-12-06 15:29:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 43,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11603493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rossie_H/pseuds/Rossie_H
Summary: Tobio has never been a person who enjoyed touch. He was never a clingy baby, or an affectionate lover. Hell, he had never had a relationship that was ever anything more than sex. But now, as the small body before him wraps his legs around Tobio's waist, he feels as though a part of him has returned and soon, he finds his hands gripping hard onto the boy’s waist which grants another moan from the body on top of him. His hands on the boys body, God, nothing has ever felt more right. Thin arms rope around Tobio's neck and he feels himself sigh as he lowers his chin into the boy’s shoulder, the connection abnormally natural."Please," the boy whispers, as Tobio feels fingers card through his sweaty hair and lips at his temple. "Please, don't hurt yourself ever again. I can't stomach it."Guardian Angel AUEDITED: SEPT 21, 2017





	1. Chapter 1

Kageyama had been blind for as long as he could remember, so to him, it was never odd that he wasn't aware of what the color green looked like, or that the grass and the trees were painted with it. He was never aware that the sky wasn't always blue, but also orange and pink and blood red, with white mushrooms that shaded out the sun; yellow. The sun is yellow, he knows that much and he thinks to himself that if he could see color, that yellow would probably be one of his favorites. Kageyama never saw the deep browns of the soil or the snow that topped the mountains behind his house, he never saw the simmers of the lapping water that filled the pond in his backyard or the color of the purple porch swing that his mother painted when he was only a boy. 

But the  _ reason  _ that he was never aware...was because he never asked. 

To Kageyama, knowing wasn't an option. 

Sure, he knew the names.

He knew of what he heard in passing but if there was anything he wanted it was not to know about what the world looked like. He made sure his parents never taught him a thing because the world of color was a world that he would never be apart of; for he was a stranger placed in a far away land, told to live within in it as the rest do when he knew from the age of five that he was so very much unlike the rest. This was not his world and it would never be his world. He would never see the colors of the leaves or the flowers that his father sold in his shop downtown. He would never lay eyes on the asphalt that their car drove upon or the color of spaghetti sauce. 

Kageyama chose to live in darkness, or at least that's how the people beyond  _ his world  _ saw it but that was far from the truth. 

In Kageyama's world, the world that he built within the darkness, that world was painted orange. 

There were mountains made of swirling spirals molded from orange wisps. 

There were rivers so clear that the orange pebbles that lived at the bottom of the bed shown with a light so radiant that he would actually thank the stars for being blind. 

Kageyama never understood why he knew the color. He never saw it, never experienced it, he was never told the specifics of what it looked like but god, he knew it. He knew it by heart, with every ounce of his soul. When he was seven, he asked his dad what he was seeing saying, "It's not yellow but it's not red," knowing those colors from what his parents had already explained and for his answer his dad replied, "Orange. You're seeing orange." After that day, they took many trips to the doctor, hoping to get an explanation to why the only color he saw was orange but alas, they were just as stumped as he was. There was no medical explanation. 

But Tobio knew what he was seeing and it made him happy. At least he could see something and that was a gift all in itself. So his world from there on out was built in orange. Orange skies, orange flowers, orange roads and grass, orange animals. It was all he knew and he loved it. He loved it more than he loved anything he had ever touched, smelled, heard or tasted and he had no explanation for it. There was no reason to why he knew the color or to why he was so deeply in love with it, but he was, as if it was a part of who he was. 

So now as he lays on his back in the field behind his house, the sounds of the frogs croaking by the shore of the muddy pond while he chewed on a carrot, through his world he sprints, running with his eyes wide and his hair wild as he feels his orange dirt squish between his toes. He runs to the sound of the winds music, the music of his footsteps following as he sprints through the orange forest he grew with his mind, his imagination until the sound of his father’s voice drags him to a halt. 

Tobio, with a grunt, yanks himself free from his world back into his father’s and sits up, dusting his hands against his jeans to knock away the loose grass stands that glued themselves to his palms. He shakes away his frown, the one he only wore when he was safe within his own world and slaps on his fake, stupid smile; the one he knows his parents like to see, just in time for his father to plop down beside him in the grass. 

His father's smell is clear and beautifully familiar; the smell of pillow mints and fertilizer. Tobio feels his hands squeeze his bony shoulder. "I sold a bundle of sunflowers today." 

"Mrs. Sheppard?" he asks as his dad snickers. 

"Always," his dad chuckles. "I swear, that woman buys more flowers than she has room for." 

"You're the one who keeps building up her addiction," Tobio says as he nudges his dad’s shoulder. 

"You be quiet, child," he jokes. He can feel his father’s eyes. "You're mother is worried about you." 

His mother had good reason to worry. Tobio was graduated now, and ever since then, to him...there seemed to be no reason to keep on living. High school gave him a purpose, a reason to keep pushing to be stronger, better at something; that something being volleyball. If there was something he new almost better than he knew the color orange, it was volleyball. He had been playing for as long as he could remember, for as long as he had been blind and now, being away from school, away from the teammates that over the past five years had grown to become his family, Tobio felt more lost than he ever did without his sight. 

His lack of sight didn't limit it. Not like not playing volleyball did and without that constant in his life, he truly didn't know who he was and it was starting to weigh on him. 

"We...we've been talking..." 

_ No.  _

_ " _ And we think it may be best to..well-"

"No, please," Tobio whispers as his voice cracks and he can hear the hitch in his fathers breath. "Please. I-I promise, I won't...try again. Just  _ please _ , don't send me away." 

"Tobio, you do realize how close you came to dying..." 

His father stops and Tobio knows he's trying not to cry. 

Tobio's heart unravels. He sighs. "I'm..sorry, about what I did. I'm sorry I've worried you guys. But I swear, if you let me stay here I promise, I won't try again. Please. Please-"

"She's already made up her mind." 

His lungs explode within his chest. Not another hospital. He can't go to another hospital. 

She can't do this. 

Why wasn't he brave enough? Why couldn't he go through with it? 

_ Why was he such a coward... _

"No." 

The word slips out before he can think to leash it back. 

"W-What?" his father chuckles. 

"No." Tobio shouts a tad louder. "I won't go." 

His father sighs as he stands from the grass. "This isn't up for discussion. I-I'm sorry. I don't like it anymore than you do but...after..." he stops, sniffling. "I won't lose you, Tobio." 

An anger ignites in his gut as he joins his father on his feet, grabbing the pole that lay beside him. "You just did." he says, walking back towards the house, ignoring the calls by his father as he leaves him alone to stand by the pond. 

He doesn't say goodbye. 

***

Tobio never thought about the precautions of suicide. He never thought about what it would feel like or how deep he would have to go before he could stop cutting and just...go. 

He never thought about the mess it would make....About the clean up.

He never thought about how it would affect his parents, how it would affect his friends on the team. He never thought about all the things he would never do or taste or hear or touch, he didn't care. He didn't care the first time he tried as he sat on the floor of his shower and dug his dad’s hunting knife into the sides of his thighs but now, as he holds the unsharpened pocket knife between his fingers on the floor of his bathroom, he does think about it. 

He thinks about how much it will hurt again. 

He thinks about the blood that will stain the grout between the tiles. 

He thinks about how long it will take, what it will feel like to actually go...to actually die. 

What will he see? Will he see anything? Will there be a sound or a taste? Will it be painless, euphoric? 

Tobio stands and feels at the lock on his door to check just one more time before reaching over at the note he placed on the counter beside the sink, brushing his calloused fingers along the paper. 

_ My last words. _

_ Hope I made them count.  _

Tobio shivers as he he turns then and walks back to the center of the bathroom, sitting with his legs crossed and the knife tight within his knuckles. 

_ This isn't right _ , a small part of him thinks.  _ I shouldn't be doing it this way.  _

But he can't take it anymore; the pain, the darkness, the sorrow, the guilt, the burden. It's killing him, faster and faster everyday and if he waits any longer...

"I'm doing the right thing." he whispers. 

He truly believes the words as they tumble from his lips. He believes everything his thoughts whisper to him; that he was nothing but trouble, that he was pointless, that he wasn't made for this world. He wasn't made to see the sights, he wasn't made to experience what this life had to show him, no. 

Tobio was a mistake. He was a glitch in the system. 

He was wrong. 

He was made for his world.

_ Maybe that's where I'll end up. _

"I'm doing this world a favor," he says as he lifts the blade to the base of his neck, hands quaking as the blade presses to the thin skin beneath his jaw. A tear escapes down his cheek, another one. And another. He tosses a hand over his mouth so he doesn't make too much noise. He doesn't want to wake his parents. He...

_ I can't lose you, Tobio.  _

"You just did," he repeats. Kageyama trembles as his teeth clutch. "I love you," he whispers into the air. 

_ I love you.  _

_ I love you.  _

_ He presses the knife deeper, deeper...god, it hurts. It- _

_ " _ NO!" 

Suddenly, his hands are ripped free from the blade as he hears the sound of the knife exploding against the brick wall of his bathroom while his body is flung backwards. His skull crashes into the side of his bathtub as the heavy weight on top of him groans in pain and shifts atop of him. He rubs at the back of his head as a new smell, something undeniably wonderful, swarms the bathroom and he freezes. 

_ What is this? I can't... _

_ I know what it is...it's familiar... _

Tobio sniffs at the air, desperate to remember the scent before he realizes exactly what's happening.

_ Wait.  _

Slowly, he reaches out, fingers jittery as his hands touch what feels like skin...granted, it has to be the softest thing he's ever felt; a mix of velvet and cool water but still, he freezes as he hears a voice above him whimper something almost sensual. The voice is high pitched and innocent, sweet and endearing...but...

_ Who's is it? _

His hands continue to explore out of curiosity, his fingertips brushing up, up what he now can tell is a thigh, the build muscular but slim until he feels the fabric of a shirt? A gown? He tugs at the side of it as he can feel the body on top of him still.

He should be scared, right?

Someone who is not his parents is in his bathroom...his locked bathroom...sitting on top of him....silent. 

But what brews within him is nothing similar to fear as his hands continue to grace up and explore the body on top of them. He finds it strange though, at how silent they both are as Tobio moves his hands up, up the slender, sturdy hips, over the curve of the waist until his hands leap over to run up the person's arms and all the while, the sounds that escape from the body cradling him sound...peaceful, content. As if this was not their first time exploring, touching. 

Tobio freezes then as reality hits him and he screams, scrambling free from under the body but before he can get too far, a small hand clutches at his wrists. "Wait! Wait, it's okay! I won't hurt you, I swear!" 

_ A boy? That's...a boy’s voice.  _

"W-What...how did you get in here?" 

"I...uh, well. That's...um, a little hard to-"

"Who are you? And why did you..." 

They both fall silent. 

_ Why did you stop me?  _

"I didn't make it in time the first time," whines the boy as Tobio fights his way through the darkness. 

He had never wanted to see anything so bad in his life. 

"W-What does that mean?" 

Suddenly, he feels hands take hold of his cheeks, the skin chilled and just as soft as the skin on his thighs. Tobio swallows. He should be scared. Worried. But as the hands take firm hold on his face, all he feels is pure contentment. The boys thumb rubs along his jaw and tobio's lips parted. "You're so beautiful in person," the voice in front of him hums, so close that Tobio can feel his cold breath on his lips. 

"Who are you?" Tobio whispers, his body tensing beneath him as he feels the boy inch closer and to his surprise, he doesn't shy away. 

Tobio has never been a person who enjoyed touch. He was never a clingy baby, or an affectionate lover. Hell, he had never had a relationship that was ever anything more than sex. But now, as the small body before him wraps his legs around Tobio's waist, he feels as though a part of him has returned and soon, he finds his hands gripping hard onto the boy’s waist which grants another moan from the body on top of him. His hands on the boys body, god, nothing has ever felt more right. As if for all these years, his body was looking for his. Thin arms rope around Tobio's neck and he feels himself sigh as he lowers his chin into the boy’s shoulder, the connection abnormally natural. 

"Please," the boy whispers, as Tobio feels fingers card through his sweaty hair and lips at his temple. "Please, don't hurt yourself ever again. I can't stomach it." 

"How..." The boy leans back and Tobio's bones shatter beneath his skin as suddenly, the view before him dissolves from darkness to a light so powerful, tears clog his vision. Tobio's spine rattles as the view of his bathroom comes into view; the colors of the bricks, the tile floor, the sink, the color of the shower curtain..."I can see..." 

He can see everything; the walls, his hands, the clothes he's wearing.

He can see the door and the suicide note that he left on the counter.

He looks over at the shattered knife scattered along the bathroom floor. 

_ He can see. He can... _

Then, his eyes look to the boy before him and Tobio swears that he can feel his mind melt into his skull as he takes in the view of the stunning boy perched on his lap with hair as orange as the mountains that he crafted within his imaginary world. The word gorgeous could never properly describe how astonishingly beautiful the boy in front of him is as he looks him from head to toe; at the bundle of bushy orange hair hanging into his eyes, at the large, magnificent globes that pierce into his own eyes, at the wide, toothy smile that spreads his plump, freckled cheeks...he is the most beautiful creature Tobio could ever dream to imagine and even though he's well aware that he has never seen this boy before in his life...something about him is sickeningly familiar. 

The boy runs a knuckle down Tobio's cheek and it's the touch that he feels as though he's been begging for his entire life. 

"Who are you?" Tobio asks again as he stupidly feels himself lean into the boys touch. The boy before him hums as he closes his eyes and leans forwards, slamming their foreheads together before he drags his lips up to kiss at Tobio's flesh and damn him, if he doesn't blush. "W-Why do I feel like...like I know you-"

"Oh, Tobio," the boy whispers and Kageyama falls hard. "Promise me. Please, promise me-" 

"Wait, wait. I...tell me who you are," he says, his grip on the boys waist growing desperate and something in him heats as he watches the boys eyes flutter. "Tell me a name, something...I need to know who you are-"

"You can't. I-I can't," the boy admits through a hoarse, worn voice. "God, I want to. You have no idea how long I've waited..." 

"Waited for what," he says, pulling the boy closer to him, memorizing every detail, every freckle painted on his beautiful, beautiful face. "Who are you, please? You...you saved me. I need to know something. Why can I see, how did you do it-"

Then before he can finish, the boy’s face contorts as his spin coils forward and he screams, his cry shattering Kageyama in half as he holds onto the boy while he wails in pain. "I-I have to go. You can't remember this..." the boy pants as he breathes through his pain, nails dug into Tobio's shoulders. 

"No," Tobio shakes his head. "No, please. I feel like I've been searching for you forever. You can't-" 

"Don't make this harder than it is," he says, pulling Tobio against his chest as another shock of pain riles through the boy against his chest. Tobio holds onto him as he withers in his arms, begging anyone who will listen to take away the boy's pain. "Promise me. Promise me you won't try this again, Tobio. My...my love." 

Tobio's eyes expand as he tries to wrap his head around everything that's happening. 

_ Who are you?  _

_ What is your name? _

_ Why do I feel this way?  _

_ Why did you save me? _

_ Why are you leaving me?  _

_ Why are you leaving me? _

The orange haired boy leans back and cups Tobio's face between his hands. "Say it." 

Tobio's lips fall into a line. 

"Say it, Tobio." 

"I-I..." 

The boys eyes fall to Tobio's lips. 

"Kiss me and I'll say it..." 

_ What?  _

_ Where the hell did that come from?"  _

The boy grins through violent tears. "Not like this. Not yet," he says, brushing Tobio's hair away from his eyes. "Say it. For me." 

That does Tobio in. 

"I promise." 

The boy sags into Tobio's lap then drags his eyes, those stunning, amazing eyes, up to his. "Goodbye, my love." 

Then right before his eyes, the boy turns to mist, dissolving into the air until he's nothing but smoke. 

Tobio's tears break the corners of his eyes. 

_ Come back.  _

_ Come back to me.  _

Tobio's mind goes blank then as his head spins and his vision blurs and he allows himself to be drug under by darkness. 

But before he goes, he hears a name...

_ HINATA.  _

Hinata. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

When Tobio's eyes open, for the first time in twenty-one years...he can see. 

His bed sheets are dark, the same sort of darkness that homed behind his eyelids and god, it's so bright. His corneas sting as he rubs hard at his eyes, repeating in his head that this must be a dream. It has to be a dream. But as he pulls his fists away from his eyes, it soon becomes very clear that he's awake. He slaps himself, hard. Again and again until tears pool beneath his eyes. He examines the room, his room, a room he's only pictured within his mind and it's nothing of what he expected. 

It's so empty, as if no one has ever stepped foot into the space, the walls barren and colorless. No orange, nothing. In the corner of the room sits his desk, a small, pathetic thing. Much smaller than he ever pictured, as if it was made for a child. On top sits his old tape player, the radio bulky and unnecessarily dusty and besides it holds a small basket of unsharpened pencils. Tobio moves his wide-eyed stare to his closet, where his clothes, all boringly similar in color hang from wooden hooks, the fabric wrinkled. A tightness begins to tug inside of his chest as he looks down at himself. 

He's never seen what he looks like. He's never known true appearance. His arms are thick and toned, tanned bronze and his hands are massive and he wonders to himself if that's normal. He's shirtless and as he studies his chest, he swallows.His breasts are protruding and sculpted, as are the valley of abs that roll down his stomach and he thinks of how he would have never imagined himself to look so...athletic. Tobio slowly lifts the satin sheet away from him and looks at his legs, long, so long and god, his feet. He always knew that he had big feet but damn, this is...unsettling. But he has to admit, he's quite proud of his legs; hard calves and heavy set thighs make up the muscles beneath his skin and he scoffs to himself. Tobio shifts and leaps from the bed, walking over to the standing mirror in the corner of the room and as he comes into view, his breathe hitches. 

_Holy shit._

He looks nothing of what he ever pictured. His hair is the same darkness as the bedsheets. _No_ , his hair is almost darker and thin. Long, as the tips reach down to tickle at his eyelashes and the soft spot on the back of his neck. His cards his finger though it, not surprised by the fine feel as it courses between his fingers as he focuses on his eyes. 

Blue. 

His eyes are so stunningly blue. Bright. Infinite. 

So this what blue looks like. Tears come to him quickly as he stares at himself, fingers touching lightly at his cheeks as a smile- God, that's terrifying, he should never do that again- splits his face and he starts to laugh. 

"I can see," he whispers through his laugh. "I-I can see..."

Tobio laughs harder as he starts to look at every detail of his room. Every brick, every square tile, every piece of dust on the windowpane. He touches all the books on his shelf, reading the titles...but, god, it's nothing like he knows. He knows by the brail touch. He knows by the feel that the books are by Mark Twain but..the letters. They make no sense. It only makes him laugh harder. Tobio eyes spread then as he slowly turns to face his window, tripping over his own feet as he rushes over and looks out the polished glass and...

"Fuck," he mumbles to himself as he beholds the view outside. 

The pond. No, that can't be a pond. Ponds are supposed to be small. That was...that was a lake, the water reaching distances further than his eyes could see and Tobio nibbles on his lip. He notices the color though. Blue. His eyes are the color of water. More tears comes. He looks to the trees...what a beautiful color, he looks to the grass and sees that it's the same. 

What is it? What is it?

Tobio peels open the window and leans out, twisting his body to look up, his eyes pierced by a light so blistering, it could only be something supernatural. But Tobio isn't that foolish. He knows what that is..."Yellow." The sun. He was looking at the sun. But not for long as he feel the whites of his eyes bubbling. He moves his eyes to the sky. Also blue. Blue, blue, blue, so much blue. 

For the first time ever, Tobio feels special. 

He looks to his parents garden, to all the flowers planted deep into the ground...the ground, dirt...what color is that...earth? No, there's a word.Tobio then regrets his entire life as he struggles to place names to all the marvelous things that he's seeing. But he knows how to get answers.

He pulls away as he goes to his clothes and digs through for something other than darkness until he finds a pretty colored long sleeve tee in the back of his closet. This color he knows. It's the same color of the swing his mom painted when he was a boy. 

"Purple," he mutters to himself before busting out into another laugh. "Purple!" 

Tobio slips into a pair of worn jeans, holes ripped at both knees before tearing open his bedroom door and stepping out into the hallway. 

His home. It's gigantic, the wood paneling glossy and deep...fuck, what is that color! He shakes his head and giggles moving to the stairs. Instinctively, he reaches out in his natural way, hands clutching at the rails that line the staircase but...

Tobio grins. "Not today." Tobio with shaky hands lifts away from the railing and takes a step, then another, each step cushioned by the rug he's walked on for twenty-one years. He runs, quick, quick until he storms into the kitchen where both his parents stand washing plates and making breakfast. He knows the smell that clogs the air and his eyes dart to the stove. "Bacon." His parents look his way, his mother smiling...

God, she's breathtaking. She carries the same slanted, blue eyes as he does, her hair the color of the walls and the dirt but even more beautiful. She's short and slender, skinny arms and legs but wonderfully feminine.

Tobio's eyes water. "You're more beautiful than I ever could have dreamed," he breathes.

Her smile drops as the plates she's washing crashes at her feet, shard shooting in every direction as both of his parents still and gape in his direction.

Tobio looks to his father. He knows where he gets his height from, his father 's skull almost brushes the ceiling and his hair...darkness. So dark. Darker than his and damn, he's good looking. His arms are large and his waist is slim, his eyes the same shade as his hair, hidden behind a pair of thin framed glasses. The same ones he used to play with as a baby.  

Tobio meets his father eyes. "You'e so tall." 

His father's lips part as tears fall down his cheeks. 

"You're both so-"

"T-Tobio," his mom whispers, stepping through the pile of shattered plate until she storms him and draws him into her chest. Tobio embraces his mother, tangling his hands into her hair as he swims in her smell. His mother. God, his family is beautiful.

He picks at a strand of her hair. "W-What color is this? You're hair, the walls, the dirt. What is it?" 

His mother draws back with wet eyes as he laughs and cups his cheek. "B-Brown. This is brown." 

"Brown," he repeats, continuing to play with her hair. He looks to is father. "And that, is that..."

"Black. My hair is black. So is yours." 

Tobio scoffs and runs his hands through his own hair. "Black. Brown." He looks down at his shirt. "Purple?" 

They both nod. His father gasps then runs out the screen door, he moves to the garden and plucks one of the tall flowers before sprinting back into the house. He walks to tobio and hands him the flower. Flowers. God, how he's wanted to know what they look like and just as everything else, it' better than what he had always pictured in his head. But it isn't simply the color that makes him cry harder than he's ever cried in his life. 

His father takes hold of Tobio's face. "This is a pot marigold. This is-"

"Orange." 

He slams his eyes closed as a flash breaks across his mind and behind his eyelids, he sees a face.

The most beautiful face he's every seen. Large eyes...brown, the eyes are brown. A gorgeous, breathtaking brown and the hair. It's beautiful and bright, blinding orange. There;s a name, he knows there's a name connected to this face but...

He can't remember. He remembers last night, the pocket knife...the note. 

He tried again last night. 

What...what happened? Why did he stop?

Nothing is clear. He remembers locking the door. Walking to the middle of the bathroom and then...nothing. Not a thing. 

He looks to his parents and smiles, both of then suffocating him into a hug that could pop the world. 

The thought of last night still swims through his head but for now...for now, all he can care about is this. His parents, the colors. 

Tobio lifts his hand and looks at the marigold. 

Orange. 

His heart swells. 

Orange. 

***

From his seat on top of the refrigerator, he watches Tobio and his family. He watches them hug and laugh and cry and wishes for nothing more than to be apart of it.

To apart of his life. 

Hinata hums as he beats his wings, careful not to knock over the cereal boxes as he stares lovingly at Tobio. 

"So beautiful," he whispers to himself. "You deserve this." 

Noya, who sits on the kitchen table drooling over the bacon cooking on the stove, scoffs. "You're fucked, you know that right?" 

"Nothing you could say right now could ruin this moment for me." He leans back onto his hands. "This is worth it." 

"Shouyou," Noya says, flying from the table to join Hinata on the fridge. "I don't disagree with you but-you crossed a line last night. When Suga finds out..." 

"Let him. Take my wings, lock me up. I could care less," he says, eyes shimmering as he watches Tobio stare at the marigold. 

"You might not care but I do." 

Hinata looks to Noya and takes his hand in his. "I'll be fine, brother." 

Noya sighs and nods, before turning to follow Hinata's eyes. "He is beautiful." 

"I was cursed from day one." 

"We all were, Shouyou." Hinata and Noya turn as the sound of the bell chimes in the distance. They both grunt. "I'm going to go see Asahi. Meet you back up there?" 

Hinata giggles. "And you say I'm in trouble." 

"I may be in love with mine but I didn't grant him sight." 

Hinata knows it's true. 

The bell sounds again. 

"Time to go." 

Time to go. 

_Good morning, Tobio._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet more of the Guardians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> So, I don't know if I should continue with this story? I love it and have some fun ideas for it but it's not getting many hits so let me know if you guys want me to keep going with it! 
> 
> Love you as always! <3

Hinata sits anxiously with his feet propped high on the desk while he chews on one of the feathers plucked from his wings. Beside him sits Noya, head hung backwards while he snores into the clouds above them as Tanaka on his other side draws circles into the wood while he drools and Iwaizumi sits on Tanaka's side, staring at the floor with his usual tired eyes. Suga's speeches were known to be drawn out and redundant but today was to be a special occasion and Suga made sure to make it obvious, as the meeting had been going on for what felt as centuries.

Hinata looked across the way at Tsukki, who seemed to be the only one actually paying attention seeing as it was his big day, while Kuroo sits on the stool beside him staring hopelessly. 

_That boy is a fool._

The Assignment Ceremony is the biggest and most important day in a Guardians lifetime. Being assigned means that you have been deemed fit to be a protector to one of the many souls who walk the earth. It's seen as an appreciation, as a sign of respect by the higher ups. A note of bravery and strength and aptitude and to be granted a soul meant that from that day out, your existence was no longer yours. Your life is given to the soul which you were placed to protect and guide, your life means nothing more from that day out. You are a shield, you are a sword. That's the reality of being a Guardian. It's a reality that all Guardians must come to accept in their own ways but for most, this is not a difficult decision since for a Guardian, being paired is the ultimate gift. 

And for Tsukki and Kuroo, their day had finally come. 

Both of them sit dressed in white gowns, the fabric glowing as the suns rays pound down upon them while Suga prepares to recite the ritual. 

"It's hot," complains Tanaka as he leans back in his chair and covers his arm across his eyes. "I got a girl to watch," he says winking at Noya as the smack a high five behind Hinata's back. He rolls his eyes. 

"Silence, you pest," jokes Suga lightly and all the boys chuckle. "They had to sit through your ceremony, now pay the same respects, yes?" 

"Yes, Dynast," moans Tanaka and Hinata cracks a smile. 

"Now," claps Suga as that cheeky smile breaks over his lips before glaring at Tanaka. "If I may continue..." Tanaka bows and even Iwa snorts. "Tsukki, please stand." 

With a heavy exhale, Hinata inches to the edge of his chair and watches at Tsukki stands, straightening out his gown before he walks to Suga and kneels with his head hung. 

Hinata had always loved watching the Assignment Ceremonies. He found them beautiful and special, as if he was witnessing something he wasn't exactly worth of witnessing. 

Suga balanced the gold bowl which held the Water of Holy Light within his palm while with his other hand, he cupped Tsukki's cheek. 

"Guardian, today is the day you were destined to experience. This is day spoken of in the texts," Suga says as he lifts Tsukki's chin and washes a wet finger down his nose. "The day written in the scrolls," Suga dips another finger in the Holy light and washes it over both of Tsukki's cheeks, "and on the rocks buried deep within this earths surface." Suga wipes a final finger along Tsukki's forehead. "It is the day your life is gifted to another. A day granted, a day to be cherished. Do you accept, Guardian?" 

Hinata repeats the words in his head, remembering his own ceremony. _I accept._

Tsukki answers. "I accept."

Suga tugs on Tsukki's sleeves to reveal his shoulders, then cups his hands into the water and pours handfuls of the light over both of his bony shoulders. "Do you give your body?" 

_I give my body._

"I give my body." 

Suga kneels to Tsukki and splashes water on his chest. "Do you give your heart?" 

_I give my heart, Tobio._

Tsukki nods. "I give my heart." 

Suga soaks his hand in the bowl then places his palm against the back of Tsukki's neck. "Do you give your blood?" 

"I give my blood." 

Suga then bows before Tsukki before lifting the bowl above his head, pouring the light over Tsukki until every ounce of him is dripping in water. "Do you give your life?" 

_I give my life to Tobio._

"I give my life." 

Suga pulls back and smiles, running his fingers through Tsukki's hair. "Welcome to the World, Guardian." 

Tsukki bows as Suga then stands. "I will state the name of your soul. After the statement is made, you will be casted down to observe your pair. You may return back home after the 72 hour period. Learn your pair but under no circumstances may you make contact, understood?" 

Hinata swallows as Noya's eyes slide to his. 

Tsukki answer. "Understood," his voice coming hoarse and shaky. 

"Guardian, the name of your soul is Tadashi Yamaguchi." 

Then before their eyes, Tsukki spills through the floor through the dense wash of white smoke, Kuroo sighing heavily as he disappears and his name is called. 

Hinata watches the ceremony happen again. 

He thinks of Tobio. 

He thinks of Tsukki. 

_I give my life, Tobio._

 

***

Tobio is sprinting. Sprinting. Not lightly jogging, not clumsily trotting. No-he's full out sprinting as he rushes for the park to meet the others. As he runs, he takes in everything, reciting the names of all the colors that his parents had taught him over the past two days. 

Green, for the trees.

Blue, for the sky.

Brown, for the wood. 

Yellow, for the sun.

Black, for the roads.

White, for the clouds. 

Pink and purple, for the flowers. 

Tan, for his skin. 

A smile rests permanently between his cheeks as he watches his footsteps crunch against the grass, prints of his sneakers molded into the green blades and rocky dirt as he leaps through the park. He observes landmarks as he runs; large metal structures, piled with small children and tired parents. Fountains with wild water displays, gardens upon gardens filled with every type of wonderful flower imaginable. 

By the time he reaches the sand pit, Tobio is utterly out of breathe as he sneaks to hide behind a tree.

The guys are all in their positions; a tall boy with long hair stands in the center, hair tied back into a messy bun while other with jet black hair and hard cheekbones crouches at his right. A  boy with spiked, brown hair is squatted on the opposite side of the net with a shorter boy with faded blonde highlights, his face blank and it makes Tobio grin as he realizes just who he's looking at. another boy, probably one of the prettiest people he's ever seen...even if he doesn't have much to compare to...is at the back about to serve while a short girl with bright blonde hair stands at the side with a flag. 

They're all so...perfect. 

This is his family. 

The cute girl blows the whistle and instantly, everyone is yelling. "You animals," squeaks the small girl and Tobio laughs.

_Yachi._

_That's my girl._

"Asahi, get that ball!" commands the tall boy with black hair and he knows the name instantly as the voice swims into his ears. 

_Daichi._

"So demanding," the boy with the man bun jokes.

_Asahi._

The boy at the back jumps to serve, the ball hammering over the net as it flies towards Asahi. "Try to play that serve, you giant!" 

Tobio looks quick to Oikawa.

That's _Oikawa_. 

His eyes burn. 

Asahi hits the ball, passing it over to Daichi and Tobio's lips part as he watches Daichi serve the ball back to Oikawa's side, the muscles in his thighs rippling as he slams back into the sand. 

_God, they're amazing._

To Tobio's surprise, Kenma is the first to move, his small legs darting to receive the toss. His fist slams into the ball as he loses control, causing the boy with the spiky hair to lung into the sand. 

_Yama, that has to be Yama._

Tobio Bites his lip.

Yama yells as he dives, sending the ball into the air towards Oikawa, who jumps and slams the ball into the other side of the court. Daichi yells as he receives the toss, the ball touching the clouds before it descends. Asahi calls for it, crouching low with his arms together calling for Daichi to spike it. 

Daichi listens. He flies into the air, sweat sliding down his cheeks as he hollers and spikes the ball down, barely missing Kenma's outstretched fist. The ball digs into the sand as it buries down deep while Daichi and Asahi cheer. 

Tobio doesn't realize he's crying until it's too late. 

"Kageyama?" 

He looks up to see Yachi walking towards him. She's so beautiful, slender, her face bright and clear, her eyes wide. Tobio fights the urge to cry harder.  She searches his eyes....and for the first time since they met, her searches hers. 

Yachi seems to understand almost instantly as she tosses her hands to cover her mouth as her eyes sprouts tears. 

"Can...Kageyama, can you see me?" 

Kageyama swallows and steps forward, running his fingers down her soft cheek and his tears break as her breathe hitches. "Gorgeous." 

Yachi coughs through her sobs as she stutters. "Wha-I-" 

"What's all the fuss about over here?" Oikawa jabs as he, Asahi and Daichi join them.

Kageyama looks up to them and they freeze as they realize that he's _looking_ at them, _really_ looking. Oikawa's jaw falls as Asahi whimpers and runs his fingers through his hair.

Daichi is the first to move. He steps up to Kageyama. "You..." Daichi's lip twitches and Tobio's heart melts. "Can you see me?" 

Tobio nods quickly and Daichi takes a wobbled step back into Asahi who pushes past Daichi and tosses his arms around Kageyama's neck, crying into his shoulder. Yachi joins him, her height nothing compared to his and Asahi as she hugs his waist. 

Yama and Kenma finally catch on as Yama start to tear up as well, Kenma simply wide-eyed and bluntly shocked. 

"You're all nothing as I imagined," Tobio whispers into Asahi's hair, "you're all perfect." 

"What...what the hell, how-" 

Tobio looks to Oikawa. "I don't know." 

"When?" Asahi pulls back. "When did this happen?" 

"Three days ago." 

Yachi yells. "Three days!" 

"Well, I-I didn't want to say anything-" 

"How could you not tell us," barks Yama.

"I didn't want to get my hopes up." 

Everyone falls silent. 

"Kageyama," says Kenma and everyone turns to him, "you're eyes are bluer." 

Tobio scratches the back of his head. "Y-Yeah, it's weird." 

"All of this is weird." responds Oikawa. 

"You're telling me." 

"How are you handling everything?" 

"Uh, you know," he answers Yama. "As best as I can." 

"Did you see a doctor?" asks Daichi.

Tobio nods. "Three of them. No one understands it." 

"I sure as hell don't." 

Yachi slaps Oikawa. "Shut it." 

Tobio looks at all of them. 

Asahi. 

Daichi. 

Yachi. 

Yama. 

Oikawa. 

Kenma. 

"Perfect." he whispers to himself. Perfect. 

***

 

Tsukki crashed into the ground at full force, face first into the dirt as he falls to the earth. With a grunt, he pushes himself up, hands red and sore as blinks a few time to adjust to the sunlight. The air here is thinner, easier to take in as he inhales and looks around him. He's surrounded by a heavy pillow of grass, the feel between his fingers as he sits up surprisingly gentle. Tsukki wipes the dirt from his cheeks as he looks around him. Thank God, no one noticed, not that they would. 

_Stupid irrational fears._

He hears the sounds of someone yelling and when he follows the voice, his heart almost falls from his tongue as he takes in the boy with hair the color of the dirt smudged across his cheeks. He knows that this is his soul without question, the feeling exploding across his chest rattling every cell in his body as he watches the boy dive and dip across the sandy pit. 

Beautiful.

He's never seen anything or anyone so beautiful; from the freckles painted across his cheeks to the way his smile tickles his ears, the femininity to his fingers as he pushes up on the ball...all of it stuns Tsukki as he leaps to his feet, his eyes never leaving his soul. 

His soul. 

Tadashi Yamaguchi. 

How lucky can someone be?

Tsukki watches his soul. Watches him jump, watches him laugh. 

"Tadashi," he whispers to himself and he swears, the boy looks straight in his direction. Tsukki freezes. Tadashi stares confused before shrugging and turning back to the game. 

_Oh boy._

Tsukki was in trouble. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kuroo was never huge on the idea of giving away his life.

He never really wanted to be paired. He would have been content with his life; a life of working for the sky and the sun and the clouds. A life of over watching the world from afar. But if Kuroo was anything, he was dedicated. He was a hard working, he was loyal and he would listen to what the higher ups believed best for him, even if it meant sending him down to earth to watch over some soul who would never be able to truly appreciate the sacrifice he was making daily on their behalf. 

Souls were selfish beings. Weak, sad. They knew nothing of the world that existed above the clouds, nothing of the Guardians who were bred from the stars only built to serve as their faithful, pathetic lap dogs. Kuroo had always thought that the Assignment Ceremony would change his mind, that his heart would melt and that he would embrace the opportunity when it arose before him. But now, as he lands face first in the dirt and damp mud that stains his holy gown, he has never hated his position more. 

Kuroo grunts as he lifts from the ground, angrily knocking blades of grass from his cheek as he crawls to his knees and takes in his surroundings. The colors are striking, he must admit, as he appears to have landed in the middle of a forest.

No, this is far to be public to be a forest.

He regrets never learning more about this world. 

The sounds of small souls playing on metal structures captures his attention almost instantly as he glares at all the different souls scattered around the...the...oh, what the hell is this place called-

"Hey," a small timid voice speaks up and when Kuroo's eyes rise and land on the boy before him, his world shifts. 

He's never seen anything so innocent, so flawless. The boy is slender and small, but his arms looks toned and his eyes, angled and sharp, attentive, are mesmerizing as they lock onto Kuroo's, searching him from the inside out. The boys hair is streaked, faded, a blend of bleach blonde and dark bark and Kuroo can't seem to stop...gaping. 

But soon, the reality of the situation smacks him in the face. 

He shouldn't be able to be seen. 

Not by a soul. 

Unless...

"Are you...Kenma? Kenma Kozume?"

The boy just nods. Slow and soft, adding a hum as he does and Kuroo can feel his eyes dampen. 

Without taking his eyes away from his pairing,  _ his _ soul, Kuroo moves to his feet, his height monumental compared to Kenma's as he inches nearer, surprised when the boy doesn't shy away. "How...how can you see me?" 

Kenma narrows his eyes but says nothing, Kuroo's heart almost leaping from his tongue as Kenma reaches up and strokes a thumb across Kuroo's cheek, granting a sharp gasp from the Guardian. Kenma searches Kuroo's eyes. "Do I know you?" 

"No..Not-not yet." 

Kenma hums again. So beautiful. "Will I?" 

"You're not supposed to," Kuroo breathes as Kenma continues to drag a knuckle down his jaw. 

"But what if I want to-" 

"No," Kuroo sighs, grabbing both of Kenma's small wrists within his hands and he almost evaporates at the chill coating the boy's skin. "i-I'm sorry. I must go now..." 

_ I'm so dead.  _

_ Suga's going to kill me. _

"Don't go," begs Kenma, voice cracking. 

God, Kuroo would do anything to never hear that sound again. 

_ Is this what happens?  _

_ Is this what it means to be paired...? _

"I-I'm...sorry, I-I'm sorry." 

Kuroo runs a shaky hand through Kenma's hair before sprinting past him through the park. 

That's right. 

This is a park. 

Kuroo searches for Tsukki. 

***

 

Tobio woke up every morning since that day expecting to wake to darkness. 

But instead, he woke to color. Beautiful colors, colors he learned new things about everyday. He learned what apple's looked like, the learned what the color of his own piss looked like, he learned the colors of the volleyballs that he and the guys played with and he learned what the food that he ate looked like. 

He learned new things everyday. Things he never thought he would understand, things he understood as if he had always known of their existence.  He learned how Yachi liked to wear her hair and that Yama had freckles on almost every part of his body. He learned that Asahi's hair went way past his shoulder when unraveled from his bun and that Daichi loved to wear the color red. He learned that Kenma was addicted with his purple gameboy and that Oikawa was obsessed with his hair. 

He loved learning about his friends, about what they looked like, about the things they enjoyed. 

He loved walking around his yard, swimming in the lake, tanning on the small dock. 

He loved driving in the car with his parents and going to work at the shop with his dad, learning all about the different flowers that grew in the many pots on the many shelves that stocked the busy flower shop. 

Tobio loved having his eye sight but there was something that he felt was missing. Something that made him feel uneasy every time he stepped foot into his bathroom. Even now, as he stares back at himself into the fogged mirror, the feeling of unease starts to creep up his spine as he turns and stares at the spot on his floor where only two weeks ago he planned on ending his life. 

As he does every morning, he replays that night through his mind. 

He had a fight with his father. 

He went inside. He planned it out.  He held his knife. 

He wrote the letter. He locked the door. 

He sat on the floor. He double checked the lock. He sat back on the floor.   


He hesitated until he didn't and then...

Then...there's nothing. The next thing he knew, Tobio was awake, safe in his bed with his eyes sight returned to him, like a beautiful, perfectly wrapped gift. Tobio bites his lip and slams his hands on the edges on his sink. 

"Come on," he growls to himself. "Think. Think, you fucker." 

 He closes his eyes. 

He focuses on the dark. 

He narrows in on the orange. 

Orange...

_ Hinata.  _ His eyes open.  _ Hinata. Hinata. Hinata.  _

That name. 

He knows it, he knows it as if he knows his own heartbeat, the name moving in time with each wild beat of his heart as his eyes dart from the mirror back to the center of the room. 

"Hinata," he whispers, a sharp chill shooting down his spine. Tobio gasps and spins quick around the room. "Hinata..." 

The air chills as the face of a boy flashes across his eyes. The face is beautiful, spotted by freckles with eyes the color of deep chocolate, wood, rustic. And his hair, bright...

Orange. 

Tobio pushes away from the sink. "Hinata." 

Nothing. He looks around the room, going to the door to lock it. He spins and leans against the wood. 

"Hinata, I remember." 

He does, he remembers. He remembers the touch of his hands on his cheeks, of the way his body reacted to his touch. He remembers the uncontrollable desire to brush his lips against Hinata's, the need to have him in his arms. He remembers, he remembers...

"You shouldn't be able to remember." 

Tobio freezes, looking up slowly until his eyes land on Hinata's who's eyes are drenched in heavy tears, lips folded in as he sniffles and Tobio loses himself as he pushes off from the door and rushes at Hinata, lifting the boy from the ground as he pulls him against his chest. Hinata gasps at the touch, at the embrace, his breath hot against Tobio's ear as he wraps his legs around Tobio's waist. Tobio digs his hands in Hinata's hair as he holds the boy to him, nose nestled into Hinata's neck. He listens, heart chipping away piece by piece as Hinata sobs into him and Tobio wraps his arms around Hinata tighter. 

Nothing has ever felt this natural, this sane. Nothing has ever felt this real and Tobio drowns in it. He drowns in Hinata's scent; air, sky, clouds. Sunlight. God, Hinata is sunlight, radiant and blinding and warm. So fucking warm Tobio feels as though his skin is melting. He pushes back gently on Hinata, hands on both sides of the boys cheeks. 

Hinata wipes at his tears, giggling as he locks eyes with Tobio. "You are a masterpiece, Tobio..." he whispers as he drags a finger along Tobio's bottom lip. "You're going to get me in trouble if this keeps happening."

Tobio shakes his head, trying not to implode from Hinata's touch as he continues to caress his lips. "Why? Who...who are you? What are you-" 

"I'm yours," breathes Hinata and Tobio's blood goes stale. "I'm literally yours." 

"I don't understand." 

Hinata sighs and places his forehead to Tobio's, their nose brushing as he nuzzles against Tobio. "At this point, I wouldn't be shocked if you did but I'm happy you don't," laughs Hinata and a small part of him grows frustrated. But as if Hinata can sense this, the boy leans back and cards his fingers through Tobio's hair. "I'm your Guardian." 

Tobio's nose scrunches. "My what?" 

"I know, I know, it makes no sense-" 

"No," Tobio injects, startling Hinata. "No...I know it _shouldn't_ make sense but a part of me understands. I don't know why or how but...I do. I get it, in some way." 

Hinata releases a packed breath. "You are truly something that is too pure to be real." 

They both fall silent. 

Then, just like the night on the bathroom floor, Hinata wails as his body thrust in pain and Tobio grows furious as he drops to his knees, Hinata locked in his arms. "I've got you," he whispers. "Wh-what's happening?" 

"I-I'm not supposed to talk to you this much." 

"Why? Why not?" 

"It's a big no no," he laughs. 

"Hinata, dammit, why...what can I do-"  Again, Hinata cries out as another shock surges throughout his body. Tobio holds him tighter, cursing. "Let me help you..." 

"You can't call for me anymore," Hinata whimpers. "You...have to forget about me..." 

"I can't do that." 

"Please," Hinata begs and Tobio freezes. "For me, I need you to, my love." 

Tobio's eyes flutter at the pet name. 

He wants this. He wants Hinata, he doesn't know exactly in what way but he knows that once he leaves, another part of himself with shatter. As if without Hinata, he is no longer whole. As if without Hinata, he is no longer himself. 

But for Hinata, he is willing to shatter. 

Tobio closes his eyes and pulls back, stroking Hinata's cheek with his knuckles and Hinata shudders. "I can't promise to forget you but I can promise to stop hurting you. And if seeing me hurts you-"

"No-" 

"-then, I won't call for you anymore." 

"It's not you who hurts me. It's them, its my job...my life, my very being. But never you..." Hinata leans in closer, so close his lips tickle Tobio's. "I would endure any amount of pain for you." 

"God, Hinata, who are you? What are we...why-" 

Then before his eyes, Hinata vanishes, leaving his arms empty and cold. 

Tears play at his eyes.  "Hinata..."  
  


***

As he does every night, Iwaizumi sits on the edge of Oikawa's mattress and watches as he inhales another bottle of rum, his pairing drinking until the last drop of alcohol slips from the glass neck of the bottle onto his tongue, that tongue that taunts him with everything he has.  He's tried to intervene, tried to destroy the stash hidden beneath Oikawa's bed but his pairing is no idiot.

No, his soul is depressed. Depressed and sick and fed up with what he has and never had Iwa wanted to hold him more than he does in this very moment. 

Oikawa tosses the bottle to his bedroom floor. "Only six to go." 

Iwa cringes. 

"Please stop hurting yourself," he says to himself as he stands when Oikawa does, following the beautiful boy to the closet where he reaches for another bottle of rum.

_ No. _

_ No, please.  _

Oikawa reaches for the bottle. 

_ NO! _

He cant stand it anymore as suddenly, Iwa yells and slaps the bottle from Oikawa's hand, the glass shattering against the wall. Oikawa screams as he falls backwards and scrambles across the room, eyes wide and terrified as he stares at the smashed bottle, at the rum soaked against his wall. 

_ Fuck. FUCK.  _

"What...what the hell..." Oikawa stutters to himself as his eyes dart around the room. Iwa freezes as he focuses on his soul, on the sweat beaded on his forehead, on the shake engulfing the boys hands. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt you," he speaks to himself and Oikawa jumps. 

_ Wait... _

"Who's there!?" yells Oikawa, as he scrambles for his dresser, pulling out the small pocket knife in the drawer. "I-I'm armed." 

Iwa rolls his eyes and fights the grin on his face. 

_ No, no smiling.  _

He can hear him. 

How can Oikawa hear him?

"Oikawa, can...can you hear me..." 

Oikawa screams again, leaping from the floor as he runs to his bedroom door but Iwa beats him there, blocking the door and as Oikawa takes in the sight, Iwa present and solid before him, it doesn't take long for his soul's eyes to roll back into his head. 

"No! No, don't pass out, don't-" 

Oikawa passes out, Iwa catching him before he hits the ground. 

Iwa falls with Oikawa to the ground. 

Fuck. 

He's fucked. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shits going down

As usual, Oikawa woke with a headache. His eyes were sore, as was his throat, as he hoisted himself away from his hot mattress, the sheets tangled tight around his ankles. Within one of his hands still hung an empty Captain bottle, the rum sticky against his palms as he grunts and sets the bottle to his bedroom floor before wiping the drool from his chin. 

 _You're disgusting_ , he thinks to himself as he slides off the bed turning confused as he looks at the broken glass scattered across his bedroom floor. _The hell...?_

Oikawa's body stills as he takes a turn around the room, flicking through the memories of last night as he runs his nails through his hair. 

He was drinking. (nothing new)

He was tipsy. He was horny...

He went to his closet. 

He grabbed another bottle. 

The bottle...

Oikawa slowly peeks back at the shattered glass. He swallows. 

There was a boy, a man in his room. One of the most beautiful men he's ever seen but nonetheless, he ran. but why did he run? He wasn't scared of the boy. In fact, as soon as their eyes met, Oikawa felt...serene. Safe. Stronger. 

But wait...no? He didn't run. No, Oikawa passed out. 

_Who are you? Why were you here? Fuck it._

Oikawa looks back to his watch. He grunts at the idea of going to work. His eyes slide to the half full rum bottle besides his bed. His eyebrows lift. 

Just a few more sips, he thinks, while in the back of his mind, he swears he hears someone begging him to stop. 

 _I can't stop_ , he fights back. 

 _Please, you're stronger than this_ , argues the voice. 

Oikawa wants to stop. He's tried. He's gone to AA. He's done it all. 

He walks to the bottle and chugs the rest of the rum, the sting as it slithers down his throat sharp and hot. 

He tosses the bottle under his bed. 

You're stronger than this, the voice sings once more. 

Oikawa closes his eyes. "No. I'm not." 

***

"No, Tobio, absolutely not." 

"Dad, come one," he injects laughing as he inhales his cereal. "It's only for the weekend." 

"I'm sorry, baby, but I'm with your dad on this. It's just...way too soon! We don't know how long this may last or if it will even last at all! You're still learning what things are colored blue and what things are red! I just...I don't think it's a good idea." 

"You've let me go before while I was still blind. But now that I'll actually be able to see the resort, I can't go?" 

"You know that I trust those boys with your life, Tobio, but I'm just-"

"It might be too much of a sensory overload. It could cause seizures, headaches, you heard what the doctor said!" 

"I also heard him say that it wouldn't be a bad idea to go, for my mental health remember, mom? Come on, we go every year. I get to see a bunch of my friends, get to show off my new eyesight! I...I really want this." Tobio looks between his parents. "Please. This is all I want."

He watches his parents sag their shoulders, faces long.  He knows he's asking a lot and to be honest, maybe it will be a lot to handle. But this trip is a tradition, one he's been apart of since the beginning and he'll be damned if he misses out on it now. This is the one time a year that he gets to reconnect with everyone, to really play volleyball without restrictions, without the eyes of nervous medics at the sidelines waiting for him to fall on his face. Away from the attention of his parents, just for a few days. They started the tradition during their first year of high school, going away for the weekend at the same resort up by the mountains in Colorado, where the waters remained cool all year around and it was the one event he had the pleasure of looking forward to every year. 

It was one of the only things continuing to keep him alive. And now that he could see, he wanted nothing more than to see the peaks of Colorado. To gaze at the aqua waterfalls, to see what Bokuto and Akaashi looked like together. To finally experiences Lev's height and to find out just how intimidating Aone, who had still yet to meet, really was. 

Tobio bites his lip and waits, waiting...waiting...

Waiting for things was something he had started to become great at. Waiting for his parents to give him answers, waiting for Oikawa's questions to quit, waiting for his mind to memorize all of the new things he was learning. 

Waiting to see Hinata again. 

His eyes drop at the thought. He couldn't see Hinata again, he needed to forget him. Hinata was driving him insane. Every thought he had, ever time he closed his eyes....there was Hinata. The orange, wavy hair, his muddy eyes, the freckles that painted his cheeks like beautiful, gold dust. 

Tobio swallows. 

Forget him. 

Forget him. 

_...Don't forget me..._

Tobio's eyes pop up, startling his parents. "Tobio?"

_Hinata?_

"Baby, what happened?" his mother asks as he walks to him, fingers carding through her sons hair. 

Tobio snaps out of his daze. "N-Nothing." He meets his mothers eyes. "So? Can I go? Please." 

His mother looks back to his father and sighs. His father nods. Tobio's heart flutters. "You can go." 

That's all he needed to hear. Tobio hugs both of his parents before leaping from his seat, bouncing up the stairs to go pack. 

***

Kenma continues to pack his bag, incredibly neat and organized, while Yama stands over his, counting the many t-shirts he has jammed and wrinkled within his suitcase. 

Kenma has lived with Yama for almost three years now and as he stares back into his own bag and shakes his head, he fears Yama will never learn the ways of organized packing. Yamaguchi never learned what it meant to be neat, the boy who has lived on his own since the age of fifteen knew only of open spaces and broken dressers and poorly lit bathrooms. He didn't have what Kenma grew up with; with tile floors and glass chandeliers and butlers who knew which fork was to be used for salad and salad alone. But Kenma was never a fan of his parents lifestyle, one that involved far too many expensive dinners and brutal vocal arguments that kept him up most nights. 

So when Yama finally turned of age and was allowed to leave that filthy foster home he was placed in at the age of fourteen, Yama left for a life of cheap apartments and food stamps, happy when Kenma agreed to get a place with him and now, here they are. Living in a two bedroom up the street from their old high school, independent and content. 

Yama grunts as he tosses a ripped pair of jeans into the bag. "I hate packing. Why can't nudity be more acceptable." 

"You're crude." 

"I'm a free spirit, Kenma, there's a difference." 

Kenma only grunts. 

"Hey, what ever happened with that guy in the park?" says Yama as he rushes off to the bathroom to collect his toiletries. 

Boy? Oh...

The one that has kept him up for too many nights in a row, running through his head like a bad love song. 

"Nothing," Kenma replies, shutting the suitcase, struggling to zip it. 

Yama comes back into the room. "Uh huh. Say what you want, I've heard you the past few nights," he jokes, eyebrows raised and Kenma blushes....hot. Hard. 

"You're disgusting." 

"You love me." 

"Some days," mumbles Kenma but Yamaguchi only giggles as he helps Kenma zip up the suitcase. 

Yama always had far more physical strength than Kenma, even though the smaller boy always made it a point to keep up his muscle density. 

"Oh, I got a call from Daichi. Tobio's parents are letting him go." 

"Oh?" 

"Yup and thank god too. I can't wait to see the look on Bokuto's face." 

"Do you think it's a good idea?" 

Yama looks back at him and shrugs. "I hope so. Daichi thinks so. Asahi is worried as usual but...we've always taken care of him. I would do anything for him and for him to finally see the resort...I'm happy for him." 

Kenma only hums in return. His phone buzzes. Oikawa's name pops up:

**GOT WORK.**

**MEET YOUI THERE.**

**DRIVE SAF.**

**;)**

Kenma sighs and stares at the text. 

_Drinking already, Tooru?_

Kenma looks at Yama, who also stares at his phone with a pouted lip. Their eyes meet. "Same text?

Kenma nods. 

Yama sighs. "That boy needs counseling." 

Kenma hums and finishing packing. 

This was going to be a long weekend. 

***

Tsukki and Kuroo sit on the same futon in the center of the boys' apartment, hands under their chins as they watch the two interact. Both of them are beautiful, but Tsukki is of course inclined towards Yama, whose smile and clumsy nature intrigued him in a way nothing had before. The way he moved, the way he spoke, the way he laughed, the way he swatted his hair when it fell into his eyes, Tsukki was entranced by all of it. But as he sneaks a glance over at Kuroo, he can tell the brute must feel something of the same for the small, awkward soul he was paired with as Kuroo drools over the kid.

"What are the odds, huh?"

"I'm not too shocked. Look at Hinata and Noya, and Hajime. Their souls are friends aren't they?"

"True," moans Tsukki as he watches Yama pick up the small, electronic device from his bed, his beautiful light features glowing dimmer as he matches eyes with Kenma. 

"Same text?" Yama speaks. 

Kuroo watches Kenma close. 

Yama sighs. "That boy needs counseling..." 

Tsukki's heart cracks at the falter in Yama's voice as they continue packing. 

_Please, don't be sad._

Then suddenly, Tsukki feels his light sharpening as he looks to Kuroo to see the same thing. They look to each other. 

"Why are we going back? It's only been a few weeks-" 

But before Kuroo can finish, Tsukki and Kuroo are tossed back to the clouds, confused and a tad anxious. 

***

Forget him.

Forget him.

Hinata panics as he watches Tobio battle with himself, heart heavy and eyes glistening. 

"Don't forget me," he whispers.

Hinata slams a hand over his mouth. 

Tobio's head snaps up. 

Shit. 

Restraint, Hinata. You're going to get caught eventually if you keep-

His light shimmer sharper. He looks down at his hands. 

"What the hell-"

Then his heart stills. Freezes. Breaks. 

_No, don't take me from him._

_Fuck._

_Suga knows, Suga..._

Hinata is summoned back to the sky. 

***

Noya has always tried his hardest to avoid his soul. His innocent, flawless, selfless, beautiful soul. A boy with hair as deep brown as the earths core, with a smile as sweet as the sky, with eyes as gentle as silk.

Not because he wasn't fond of Azumane...No, it was quite the opposite.

He fell in love with Asahi day one. There was stopping it, no leashing back his feelings. Asahi was the purest soul Noya could have ever dreamed for, his life devoted to others, his heart bigger than his body could hope to contain. Asahi was the poster child for generosity, for his life involved nothing else but volleyball, his friends and the elderly patients he cared for at the nursing home his father owned. 

Asahi sits on one of the washing machines, music blaring from his phone speakers while he reads a book about the benefits of herbal medicines and as always, Noya can't help but gawk at him. At his light, at his energy; the energy Noya has been enticed by since he fell to earth years ago. Noya was one of the youngest to ever be selected as a Guardian and he couldn't have been more honored. Nervous, of course but honored. 

The deal only got sweeter when he met Asahi. 

Asahi Azumane. 

 _I love you_ , Noya sings in his head as Asahi smiles soft and taps his foot along to the music. 

That is until Asahi's foot stops bouncing. 

Noya panics and sits up straighter. "What are you doing?" 

Asahi looks around the room, nervous. Always so nervous. 

"Just keep reading, Asa." 

Asahi eventually sighs and tears his attention away from the room back to his book. 

Noya whistles. "Don't scare me like that." 

From the door burst in Yachi, out of breathe, eyes red. Asahi leaps from the washing machine as she slams the door behind her, whimpering. Noya becomes all too cautious of both of them. 

_Where the hell was Tanaka?_

"Yachi, whats-" 

"He's here." 

Asahi swallows.

Noya growls. "Tanaka!" he calls into the air. "Get here, now..." 

Asahi's lips fall apart. "I'll go get my father-" 

"No!" Yachi says, tugging on his sleeve. "Please, please, Asahi. I can't lose this job. Not again, I can't let him keep ruining my life-" 

"But if he hurts you-" 

"That's why I'm hiding." 

"Yachi, my father won't fire you over something like this! Please, let me help you for once!"

Noya shakes his head. "Oh, Asahi..."

_Poor girl._

Noya moves to yell into the air again for Tanaka right before Tanaka sinks into the room, face bruised and bloody. He looks straight to Yachi, his chest heaving as he takes in the fact that she's okay. Tanaka melts against the wall as Noya turns to him, hesitant to tear his eyes away from Asahi. Noya takes Tanaka's face in his hands. "Where the hell-what-" 

"I slowed him down," pants Tanaka as he continues to watch Yachi, as she now sobs into Asahi chest. "That fucking-" 

"Tanaka!" 

"He was chasing her," Tanaka grunts. "He...I need him dead, Noya." 

"Shut up. You can't talk like that-" 

"I can't find a Guardian for him. Hell, I don't know if he's even been granted one-" 

"Tanaka-" 

"He had a knife on him-"

"Tanaka!" 

"I'll do whatever-" 

Noya slaps him, palm blistering as his hand stings. Tanaka falls quiet as Asahi and Yachi leave the laundry room. 

"Are you crazy? God, between you and Hinata...you know the rules." 

"Don't lecture me!" Tanaka rips away from Noya and walks to the door where Yachi stood moments before. "The rules are to protect our souls, to guide them. I've held back from a lot, Yuu, but I couldn't let that bastard hurt her again. Not..." Tanaka hangs his head. 

Noya sighs and walks to him. "I understand." 

"I...god, how do you do it? How do you love him and not say anything?" 

Noya closes his eyes and bites his cheek. "I do it so I can stay with him." 

"But-" 

"I know how you feel. You know I do. But you can't interact with her anymore. I can't keep you and Hinata's secret. I'll burst-"

Then, the light between them begins to sharpen, Noya's heart a wild mess in his chest as he and Tanaka lock eyes.  

Fuck. 

_No, not like this...Asahi._

Tanaka and Noya are summoned back to the clouds. 

***

Dropping from their summoning, the Guardians fall into their seats. 

Hinata. 

Noya. 

Iwa. 

Kuroo. 

Tsukki. 

Tanaka. 

Suga waits at the podium, pacing back and forth, as the others all grunt and adjust into their seats. 

"What the hell-" groans Iwa. 

"Why is that never a soft landing?" adds Tanaka, rubbing his back. 

Hinata and Noya catch eyes, Noya shrugging while Hinata bites his lip nervously.

Suga then turns and addresses everyone. "I need you all to listen very carefully." Hinata's heart stops. "I've just been alerted about the status of your souls. Of...my soul." 

Everyone's ears perk up. "What does that mean," asks Tsukki.

"What's going on, Sugawara?" asks Iwa. 

Suga stops pacing. "We're descending." 

Hinata freezes.

Noya's eyes water. 

"N-No, I...I was just assigned and now...we're descending?" fights Kuroo, leaping from his seat. 

"Why is this happening? I don't understand?" yells Tanaka.

"I understand this is not the way we want things to go but unless you would like to watch all of your souls die one by one over the next few days, I suggest you shut up and listen to me."

All of the Guardians fall ill. Pale. 

Hinata raises a hand. "What are you saying?" 

Suga sinks into his chair. "I refuse to lose my soul. Not at the word of the higher ups, not simply because they deem fit, because they need to make room..."

"Are you saying our souls were chosen for Elimination?" barks Noya, face hot and teeth cracking. 

Suga nods. 

Elimination was rare but very real. It's what the souls on earth called fate. A happening they can only comprehend as "necessary" or "destined" to keep from losing their sanity. But to Guardians, it was a death sentence. Having a soul that has been chosen for Elimination meant only one thing for Guardians...

"No," whines Hinata. "No, no...this can't-" 

"It's happening." replies Suga, voice flat. "But you know how it goes. We have chance to prove to the higher ups that our souls are worth it. If we can save them-"

Tanaka stands. "But...even if we descend...there's no guarantee we could keep them alive." 

"I'm aware but we are the highest ranking flank among the Guardians. I have faith in all of you. This is our only chance to save our souls"

"So, we're supposed to descend in the _hopes_ of _maybe_ saving our souls..." 

"If we save them...the higher ups take back the Elimination and they remain alive, yes?" 

"Yes." 

"But descending means we go down without our abilities, without our wings. What can we really do?" asks Iwa. 

"We know the signs to look out for. We know what we must do. We know how to work around the powers. This is something we've train for, and I believe in each of you as Guardians to stay true to the training I've taught you."

"But-" 

"We have one shot!" Suga yells, stomping towards Tanaka, ears on fire as he growls. "One shot to save their lives, are you saying you're not willing to risk yourself for that girl of yours!?" 

Tanaka snarls. "Don't speak of her so weakly-" 

"Then quit complaining and shape up!" 

Tanaka and Suga battle eyes. 

Noya grunts then stands. He looks to Suga. "I will you follow you in a descent." 

Hinata, with shaking knees, stands. "I will follow you in a descent." 

Iwa and Kuroo stand. 

Then Tsukki. 

After a moment, Tanaka nods. 

Suga steps back. 

"We descend tonight." 

Hinata and Noya meet eyes. 

Hinata's blood cools. 

_I will save you, Tobio._

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay...I apologize now. If you've read my other works, you know shit can get dramatic.  
> Just know I love ya'll. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

The act of descending can mean one of two things.

The first is that you, as an individual, have chosen a path that diverts from that of a Guardians path. In one term, to descend means to abandon your life as a Guardian and fall to the earth to become human. To live the remainder of your life without the aid of wings or flight or abilities. Without the aid of the higher ups, without the aid of the clouds and the stars and the sky. Many do it due to the uncontrollable need to live their lives walking beside their souls. Some do it to be disobedient. Every Guardian may have their own reason, but that is their path and theirs to choose. 

The second term, the one which Hinata and the others now face as they stand in a line, toes tipped over the edge of the cloud that they stand upon, is in a way a means of a second chance. Not for the Guardians but for their souls, for Elimination is always a decision that can be battled and fought against. Elimination, Hinata always believed, was just another fancy word for population control for humans; a way for the higher ups to monitor the souls, to keep the number low enough to be able to accurately match them with a Guardian. Suga always said that it was like drawing from a hat, that they're selected at random in groups and if an opportunity is presented to them, the higher ups jump on it like flies to a carcass. 

And that's where they stand. With their souls' lives at risk, their only choice now to descend in the hopes of maybe coming back home, of maybe saving their pairs. Hinata looks down the line at his friends and swallows. Will they land together? Will they be scattered? Hinata doesn't want to fall alone, not if this is his last time in the sky with the Guardians who have been his family for as long as he could remember. As much as Earth, as much as _Tobio_ feels like the closest thing to a true home that he's ever known, he can't diminish the fact that his origin was birthed from the sky, from the clouds.

But as he locks eyes with Suga, Suga; the one who has always been there to give him the push he needed, Hinata feels his heart steady behind his ribs as he smiles back and shares in a nod. His hand is captured within Noya's as he winks Hinata's direction, Tanaka on Noya's right side while Kuroo stands on Hinata's left. 

"Watch where you fall, try to keep an eye on each other. We don't want to waste unnecessary time trying to locate each other once we land, understand?" directs Suga. 

All of the Guardians nod. 

They all share in a look before Suga releases a long breath and begins to recite the descending chant. The words are spoken in old Latin, Latin so ancient that you're only granted the knowledge at birth when assigned a position within the clouds. Suga's position as Chancellor granted him such knowledge from his first day within the sky as he now whispers the words and from the slits on his back where his wings spill free and flowing, Hinata feels each of his feathers flake from the bones, tears forming in his eyes as he watches them dance out into the wind. Hundreds of feathers fly around them, eyes wet and hearts sour as they feel their magic seep from their skin back into the clouds upon which they stand. Hinata wipes away his tears, Tobio's face in his mind keeping him from completely shattering. 

Hinata must have blanked because before he knows it, they're falling, falling, falling fast towards the earth as the trees and lakes and valleys come into full view. Tears fly past him as they fall. 

Hinata barely feels the crash as they plummet to the earth. 

***

"You did what?" laughs Kageyama as he walks towards Asahi's house where he's meeting the others, duffle flung over his shoulder. 

Daichi laughs on the other end. "We got bus tickets! Well, not we. My dad did. He didn't want us to all jam into Asahi's car like we do every year." 

"My car is perfect!" Asahi whines in the background and Kageyama can hear Yachi giggle. His heart warms. 

Yachi jumps on the line. "And hurry up, will you? I need time to tan away from all of you monsters." 

"You act like I'm someone who's frequently on time." 

Yama chuckles. Kenma purrs, "He's not wrong." 

"Am I on speaker phone?" 

"Always," answers Daichi and Kageyama swears he can hear him wink. 

Kageyama shakes his head and hangs up the phone, walking into the driveway only minutes later, embraced by huge smiles and hard hugs. He looks around. "Where's Oikawa?" 

Yachi sighs against the side of Asahi's white beat up Subaru parked on the curb. "Late, as usual." 

Yama intervenes. "He had work first. He should be here soon."

"I'm here, I'm here." 

Everyone turns in his direction to welcome him.

"Wow," jokes Kageyama, as they hug. "Your here after me?" 

"Yeah, don't get used to it." 

Asahi comes back from the back of his car. "Alright, _your majesties_ , your bags are all packed." Yachi jumps towards him in thanks, Asahi grumbling while blushing until he turns plum. 

"What time does our bus leave?" 

"In about an hour and a half." 

"Wait, it takes an hour to get there! What the hell are we still doing here?" asks Yama. 

"That's what I'm saying, get in my car. All of you," ushers Asahi as they all giggle and pile into the Subaru. 

Kageyama stares out the window as they drive, the colors fading into one as they drive through the dense forests and crowded highways, past man made lakes and building tall enough to tickle the clouds and before he knows it, his eye are closing and he's dreaming and as usual, he dreams of only one thing. 

Orange. 

_Hinata._

Hinata beside him, holding his hand.

Hinata holding all of him, kissing him slow and melodic. 

God, he's never felt this way, he's never felt these things. Yes, he always knew that he was far more attracted to men than he ever was to women, even if all he ever knew was sex with women...but with Hinata, when he looked at him, touched him, felt him, something inside of him finally felt completed. Whole. 

Tobio wakes himself up as he feels his cock twitch from his dream, cheeks hot as he looks over to see Yachi with her eyebrows raised at him. He huffs and looks back out the window, biting back his grin. 

By the time they roll up to the station, everyone is hyper, excited, even Kenma whose face remains nothing short of blank but his eyes always give him away. They pile out of the Subaru, pay for parking, then walk towards the station. Daichi and Asahi are arguing abut who will take the window seat while Yama refuses to battle with Kenma on the matter. Oikawa, Tobio and Yachi talk about who they think will win this year at beer pong, making bets on Kenma and Asahi, who both never fail to impress at the famous party game. They check their bags, print their passes and wait for the announcement that reads: _bus 1243 to Estes Park,_ _Colorado._

_***_

Asahi won the argument and obtained the seat by the window: seat 12, Daichi seat 13. 

Tobio and Yachi snatched their seats directly behind them: Tobio 14, Yachi 15. Oikawa, as requested, was seated along in the back of the bus while Yama and Kenma got seated closer towards the middle, seats 23 and 24 but behind him, Kenma feels something, something piercing, something hot. Glancing over his shoulder, he looks down to see a long leg stretched far into the aisle, grunting at the obnoxious nature of his bus mate. But still, he feels it. Something burning on the back of his neck as he dares to glance further over his shoulder but damn his small build, as the head rest behind him continues to block his view. 

Yama nudges his arm. "Hey, what's wrong?" 

Someone behind them clears their throat. 

Kenma grows anxious and turn back to his phone. "N-Nothing..." 

***

Kageyama feels hot. Really hot, the palms of his hands sweating. Yachi leans her head on his shoulder. "Still thinking of that dream?" 

"You're dirty," he says as he shrugs her off.

"Come on, tell me who you were thinking about..." The seat in behind Kageyama creaks loudly and he almost looks over his shoulder but Yachi speaks up. "You tell me everything, dammit, you better tell me this." 

"I have nothing to say." 

"Liar. You terrible liar." 

"I would never lie to you." 

"Well, you just did," she says, crossing her arms. Yachi looks over her shoulder. "Hey," she whispers back to him. "Did you see the guy behind me?" 

Kageyama sneaks a glance between the seats before looking back at her. "Baldy?" 

Yachi nods, licking her lips. "He's beautiful." 

"He's huge." _And beautiful,_ Kageyama has to admit.

There were a lot of beautiful men on this bus. And they were all going to the same place.

Tobio swallows. 

"And beautiful. Besides, no one is as huge as Asahi. I'm afraid of nothing." 

"You're a demon." 

"You know it," she winks and Kageyama laughs. 

***

Oikawa can't stop thinking about last night. About the glass on his floor. About the face he can't seem to remember but the voice? God, the voice won't stop singing through his head. A voice forged from fine chocolate and stone. 

He stares out the window, tapping his fingers against the glass bottle that sits stuffed inside of his satchel while music blares through his headphones. He can't take his mind away from the rum hidden within his bag. He needs it. He wants it. He really needs it.

Fuck it-

He reaches for the bottle.

_No, you don't need it._

Damn that voice. He freezes and huffs, looking across the aisle at the seats where a tall boy with spiked hair and a strong figure lays leaning awkwardly against the window alone. His jaw is long and hard, cheeks deep and hair as dark as the chocolate that laces the voice that sings in his head.  The boys leg bouncing wildly as he keeps his eyes, unwavering may Oikawa add, locked out the window. 

Oikawa reaches in his bag and takes out a wrapped mint, tossing it at the boys head. He freezes but when he looks Oikawa's way, everything about the world that Oikawa knew vanishes as he locks eyes with this man, a man too beautiful to be human and as they hold their stare, all Oikawa can think about are all those alien movies he watches. 

This boy cannot be human. No one can be this beautiful...

The man looks nervous, panicked. Anxious and not because of the bus, which was Oikawa's original belief. No, this look is more of indescribable shock not...fear? But something close maybe. 

He's stunning. From the faded, many dazzling shades of brown coloring his hair, to the hard slant to his eyes, to his lips...thin lips that Oikawa can't tear away from and as much as he knows he's never seen this man before in his life another part of him yearns to touch him. As if they've been part forever, as if they've been looking for each other all this time. 

Oikawa leans closer and he watches at the boys' breath hitches. "What's your name?" 

"I-I-" 

"Alright passengers, thank you for being so patient. Our estimated travel time is about 12 hours, with our first stop being right on the Colorado border so fasten up, we plan to keep moving as much as possible. Thank you for riding with us today." 

He watches the boy sag into his seat and turn back to the window. 

Oikawa stares for a few minutes longer than reaches for his bottle and takes a few large gulps. He can feel the boys's eyes on him but he ignores it as the bus peels from the parking lot and starts down the road. 

***

Daichi can't stop staring at the hair of the man in front of him. Silver. Deep, glorious silver, nothing fake or painted on. No, his hair is fair and natural and smells of honey for he can smell the scent as the air ducts knock on and blow the smell back into him. Every part of him wants to reach out and touch it, to ask for a name, to look into the eyes that match that hair.

Daichi swallows and leans over a bit to see that the mans hands are shaking. He leans over further and grins. "Nervous?" 

The man jumps, a small whine escaping him and Daichi's heart skips about seven beats as the sound burrows into his skin. "O-Oh, um...a little." 

_His voice is heavenly._

"Don't be. I've traveled by bus all over this country. I've never had anything happen, they say its one of the safest ways to travel." 

The man hesitates before speaking. "I thought that was...airplanes." 

Daichi giggles and he can swear he hears the man sigh...hard. "You're right. I just want to make you feel better." 

The man hums, light and high pitched. "Y-You did, thank you." 

 _Look at me, look at me, please_ , begs Daichi in his head as he forfeits and leans back into his seat. 

Asahi chuckles and wipes the heavy layer of sweat forming along his forehead. "You just can't help yourself," he whispers. The seat in front of Asahi jerks, spiky hair standing straighter. 

"I don't wanna hear it." Daichi moves for the air duct. "God, it's damn hot. Are you hot?" 

"More so than usual, yes," jokes Asahi timidly and he can hear the spiky haired passenger in front of him snort. Daichi grins and points to the seat, Asahi blushing wildly. "Now, I'm gonna try to sleep because you know-" 

"Yeah, long trips make you nervous. What doesn't make you nervous." 

"You are a terrible best friend." 

"You love me." 

"Uh huh," bluntly states Asahi as he curls up against the window, continuing to wipe the sweat from his head. 

Daichi follows in his lead, dreaming of the color silver. 

***

**TWO HOURS LATER.**

The bus jerks, hard and Yama clutches to the seat. Kenma stirs a bit, head falling into the aisle and Yama swears that he can see a hand reach to hold him steady but sleep soon pulls him back into his dream; the same dream that he has dreamed every night since Tobio had told them all about his eye sight. The dream that required a boy with hair as blonde as the sand, as tall as the mountains they now drive past. A gorgeous, stunning boy with eyes that bore into him as he imagines what it would be like to kiss those lips, lips the color of the freshest roses. 

Yama swallows, almost back into the dream when the bus jerks again, a few people yelping as they all lean hard to the right. Kenma is knocks into his shoulder, grunting. 

"What the hell is that driver doing?" 

"Drinking probably," Kenma jokes. 

"I'm serious, Kenma." Yama looks out the window to see that they are miles up, the bus clinging tight to the side of a mountain and now, both hands clutch desperately to his handles as he rips his eyes away and slams his head back into the seat. "Oh god." 

"Oh. Heights. I forgot." 

Yama just nods. 

Then from behind him...

"Think as though your flying." 

Yama stills, eyes locked onto the seat in front of him. The voice is low, rustic but...soothing. "Flying?" 

"Flying. So high that you never have to worry about the ground ever again." The mans breathe brings chills to ripple down his spine and Yama's eyes flutter. "You never have to think about falling because you would have wings. Wings that would never let any harm come to you."

"Wings..." whispers Yama, wanting desperately to match a face to the voice.  

"Wings." 

"I assume you like flying then?" 

The voice laughs. "I assume you do not." 

Yama pushes out a small smile, only looking over his shoulder slightly. "How could you tell?" 

There's a pause before the mans voice deepens and damn him, Yama feels himself catch flame. "You're funny." 

"You're sweet. T-Thanks...for, you know, talking to me." 

The voice only hums. 

Yama looks back to Kenma who has his eyebrows raised. "Don't look at me like that." 

Kenma only shrugs and falls back asleep.

Yama on the other hand, never closes his eyes again. 

***

**EIGHT HOURS LATER**

Tobio has ridden on buses before, but never one this wild. He bounces from side to side, head slamming into the window more than once and every time it happens, he swears the man behind him whines. For what seems like the hundredth time, Tobio sneaks a glance over his shoulder, trying to see the man who sits behind him, to see the face of the presence that has been prodding him in the back of the head since they got onto the bus. But it's dark now and Tobio only just regained an actual eyes sight so to say that he was struggling was to say the least. 

The bus pulls hard. 

Tobio sighs. 

The bulls pulls hard again. He squints out the window. More mountains. 

God, they're high up and instantly, his mind goes to Yama. He's never been good with heights. Tobio turns quickly and looks back into the bus to see if he can see his friend but before he does, the boy in the seat behind him shrinks deep into his chair and in the corner of his eye...

Tobio's heart stops. His chest heaves as he spins back and collapses into his seat. 

Orange....

Tobio looks back over his shoulder. "H-Hinata?" 

Silence. 

He whispers harder. "Hinata!" 

"Please...calm down," the boy whispers back, his voice melting into Tobio as he sags against the back of his seat. 

"W-Why are you...what's-" 

"Tobio-"

The bus jerks...

_This is strange._

"What's happening." 

"Tobio, you need to ask the driver to stop the bus." 

"Hinata-" 

"Tell him to stop the bus." 

This time, he can't help it. Tobio spins in his seat and looks to Hinata, eyes glistening and wide with...

"You're afraid." 

"Make him stop the bus..." 

"Why? Why are you here, why didn't you say hello to me?" Tobio searches Hinata's eyes as he remains silent, eyes that live in the back of his mind like a beautiful gift. God, this boy...Tobio wants nothing more than to touch him, than to run his fingers through his hair...to kiss him. Tobio closes his eyes and places his hand against the glass. "I've missed you so much." 

Hinata whimpers before suddenly, a hand lays over Tobio's...cold but...not like before. No, he's warmer now but still, it's Hinata. Hinata is touching him, his thumb rubbing along the back of Tobio's hand. "I can feel you..." 

"Hinata-"

"Shouyou..." Tobio detonates. "My name, call me Shouyou."

"Yes," breathes Tobio. "Of course." Tobio laps his fingers in between Hinata's, hands locked together as he looks up at him. "Shouyou, why-"

But before he can finish, the entire bus rocks to the left. 

Metal screams. 

People Scream. Yachi clings to him. 

Glass shatters. Hinata's grip on his hand goes rough.

"Don't let go of me!" 

Shouyou repeats this. Over and over. 

Don't let go of me. 

Don't let go of me.

"TOBIO!" 

His head slams into something hard. 

He slurs Hinata's name as he sinks into the darkness. 


	7. Asahi and Noya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These snippets are small but I'm gonna try to add most of them today!
> 
> P.S. You're all amazing and thank you for your beautiful comments!

When Asahi wakes up, he's soaked. Everything hurts and as he lifts a hand to his head, he realizes the reason he's soaked is because he's bleeding...bad, as it seems. His head pounds as he stirs awake, memories of the crash coming into light as he replays what happened in his head.

The bus jerked. 

Daichi went flying.

The bus fell then...

His cheek is pressed firm against the glass, a crack darting across his eyesight as he follows it with his eyes all away across the span of the window. 

_What the hell?_

Asahi jerks, glass cracking, as he turns to look at Daichi but-

"Daichi?!" Asahi's heart races...his friends. Daichi, where the hell is he? "Daichi!" Kageyama and Yachi should be behind him. He straightens up. "K-Kageyama! Yachi!" 

"Asahi!" he hears her small voice reply, weak and fragile. He spins in his seat. "Asahi, Tobio-" 

"Where is he-" 

Another loud crack explodes by his ear.

"Asahi, what was that?" 

Asahi turns his eyes back to the window only to realize how bad the crash actually was and to see that the bus was now dangling over the side of a large...deep gorge, the two tips of the bus caught on two rocks...the bus acting as a bridge between the two. Asahi's eyes expand as he takes in the drop below him, the breaking glass window the only barrier between him and the 100 foot drop below. 

"Oh my god..." 

"Hey!" snaps a voice above him and when Asahi turns, he's met with the fiercest, most incredible brown eyes he's ever seen and all at once, every nerve in his body calms as he and the boy lock eyes. "Hey, you're awake. Don't move too quickly, okay. We need to get you away from the window." 

Asahi burrows his brow. "D-Do I know you you?" 

The boys features seem to soften at the accusation and Asahi's heart palpitates. "You could say that," he says as he reaches out his hand, the bus screaming around him as he shifts to reach Asahi. "Do you trust me? I need you to trust me." 

 _Trust_. This guy didn't know Asahi at all-

"I know that's asking a lot and I'm sorry but I swear to god, you are not gonna die on me, Azumane." Asahi stops breathing. Their eyes brace, the spiky haired boy digging his teeth into his bottom lip. The boy sticks his hand further down. "Take my hand." 

Asahi shakes as he sneaks a glance back down towards the drop, a lump the size of a potato lodged in his throat. "I-"

"Please. Please, if we don't hurry-" 

Again, the glass explodes and Asahi can barely process the drop as the barrier disappears and the window shatters.

"NO!"

Asahi yells, hair flying lose around him as suddenly, he feels cold hands grab hard onto his wrists. He looks up to see the beautiful boy bent with his feet locked onto the seat, back pressed against the side of the bus as he struggles to hold Asahi's weight. 

Oh god...

Asahi slowly looks down, the drop taunting him as she watches the river below roar and snap at him. 

"Oh my-" 

"Asahi!" His eyes snap back to the boy. "Reach up and grab the side! Please, grab it, baby!" 

Asahi wants to process the boys call, he _needs_ to, but all he can do is nod and shake his way up to reach for the window. His palm wraps around shattered glass, blood streaming down his arm as he yells, pulling himself up as the boy does the same, yelling louder and louder as he hauls Asahi through the window. Asahi reaches up and takes hold of the boys shoulder, pulling himself up over until he falls into the empty seat next to the boy, legs sprawled across the strangers lap.

_No, he's not a stranger._

_Yes. Yes he is...?_

Asahi watches as the boy sighs and cries hard into his hands as he falls against the side of the bus before looking towards Asahi. Azumane stares at the tears forming in the boys' eyes, the raw emotion laced across his face but before he can gawk longer, the boy leaps out, wrapping his arms tight around Asahi's neck, fingers in his hair and...

Nothing has ever felt more secure. Safe. Asahi has never felt so safe in his life...which is ludicrous looking at the situation. He doesn't move. He doesn't flinch as the small, sturdy boy sobs into his shoulder. "Thank god," the boy whispers, into his neck, breathe hot and sweet. "Oh, my love. You're okay." 

Then, without thinking, Asahi tosses his arms around to hold the boy closer into him, breathing in his smell...god, what is this? It smells like...what is that smell?

_Stars._

The word washes over his eyes as he gropes at the boy, desperate to hold him closer...closer..."Who are you? What's your name?" 

"Call me Noya." 

"N-Noya..." 

The boy trembles in his arms and something deep in Asahi's gut burns vicious. 

"Say it again..." 

_As much as you want._

"Noya." 

The boy hums as his grip grows harder. "Azumane..." 

 


	8. Daichi, Suga, Kuroo, and Kenma

"Please wake up, wake up..." Suga cries as he rubs the side of Daichi's cheek.

This is the first time they've ever touched and Daichi's skin is just as soft as he always imagined. Flawless. Untouched. Innocent. He's beautiful. He's always been beautiful and Suga was always mesmerized. Obsessed. But now as he lays here, face cut from the bottom of his jaw, down to his collar bone, blood spilling over Suga's hands....no, he's still magnificent. Suga's tears threaten his vision as they drip from his eyes onto Daichi's cheek, tears washing veins through the blood smeared across his face. 

"Don't die. Don't leave me...not like this. Prove them wrong, Sawamura. Prove those bastards wrong!" he says, slamming his fists on Daichi's chest, again and again and again, his souls lips growing whiter by the second. 

Suga studies his face. The deep dip of his cheekbones, the faint eyebrows above his eyes, the quick curve of his nose, the high rise of his chest. They never spoke. No, because Suga always chose to stay away. He knew it would be better that way. To speak to him, to touch but to never be able to truly walk by his side would be something agonizingly unbearable for Suga but now...God, how he regrets it. How he regrets never speaking to his soul. How he regrets never telling him how indescribably perfect he is; that to Suga, no one else in the universe mattered as much as he did. 

Suga leans down close, brushing his nose against Daichi's. "I know you can't hear me but...I've been in love with you from the moment you were made to be mine, Sawamura Daichi. So...I need you to wake up and come back to me so that I can show you just how much I mean those words. I need to show you how important you are. I need you. I need you to open your eyes," Suga weeps as he runs a hand through Daichi's thin hair. 

"Who are you?" 

Suga spins fast to look at Kenma...yes, this is Kenma. Kuroo's pair. Suga chuckles to himself. 

"I chose well," he whispers. 

Kenma's eye twitches. "He's here, isn't he-" 

But before he finishes, (and before Suga can properly react to exactly what the small boy muttered) Kenma's eyes flutter and he collapses, just in time as Suga watches Kuroo slide up behind the small boy and catch him in his arms. Kuroo 's panicked eyes scan across Kenma's face as he pushes strains of blonde hair from his eyes. "Kenma," Kuroo whispers, voice shaking. 

"He's fine. He's breathing, but the back of his head-" 

"I know," Kuroo says as he pulls his hand away, palm stained red. "W-What do I do-" 

"We can do nothing until we get out of this bus, yes?" Suga's eyes lock hard with Kuroo's. The Guardian nods, Suga proudly squeezing his shoulder. "Now-"

"You..." 

Suga's breath halts in his lungs as his eyes snap back down to Daichi, whose eyes sag, barely awake. "Oh, Daichi..." 

Daichi's eyes go to Suga's hair. "Silver..."

"What?" Suga stammers, caressing his souls face. 

"Silver," Daichi repeats, fingers tugging on a longer strand of Suga's hair. "I-I have dreams about you..." he breathes with a small grin. "I knew when...when I saw your hair earlier. You're gonna save us...aren't you?" 

"How do you..." 

But Suga's words are stopped flat as Daichi's eyes flutter closed, head drooping to the side. Suga panics, yelling his name before leaning over to listen to his heart. 

It beats. 

It beats again. 

Suga settles. He matches Kuroo's eyes. "Is that normal? The dreams?" 

Suga releases a breath. "No. No, it's not." 

 


	9. Yama and Tsukki

He's screaming. He knows he's screaming but he can't hear a thing as he stares at the bone sticking out from his leg. He's never seen anything so white, his skin torn and pulsing around the bone as it laughs at him, snickering, the pain clawing its up his leg. 

Yama is no stranger to pain. His mother was terrible person, a person who used fists and closet as a means of punishment; for the times when he refused to eat broccoli because of the texture. For the times when she came home wasted from the bar begging for an outlet. For the times when she blamed him for the hell hole that they lives in but this...

God, this pain was different. Different from the times that she had fractured his wrist. Different from the times that she had kicked in his ribs until he fell unconscious. Different from the times she would scrub his face with a bristle pad, disgusted by his freckles. No, this pain burned, stung him from his organs to the cells that swam within his blood. He wanted to cry and he knew his body needed to but something in him at the same time felt dead, numb. Not from the pain, unfortunately, but from the emotion. He should care. He should care that his bone was protruding just below his knee, blood running down his calf but...he didn't care. 

A part of him hoped it killed him. Hoped that this would be it. That he would bleed out, that he wouldn't have to burden Kenma anymore or his parents, that he wouldn't have to wake up everyday hating his body. He wanted it over. 

Yama calmed his breathing, gritting his teeth as he closed his eyes and laid his head back against the seat, breathing and seething through the pain shooting into his foot. 

"You're bleeding," a breathless voice speaks from beside him. 

_Kenma!_

Yama opens his eyes and turns but to see Kenma's face, no. And not his voice either. No, this is the voice, the one who spoke of flying and damn him, this boy was far past beautiful. Far past any words that could possibly describe beauty. this boy was beyond that. Tall and firm and...mystical. His hair, pale blonde with eyes as hard as stone, calm Yama's wild heart as the two lock stares, lips parted and cheeks hot as they take each other in. 

Yama, if only for a moment, forgets the bone sticking from his skin. Forget how much he hates the freckles on his cheeks, forgets the fact that he's never considered himself as gay but lord, his cock sure reacts as the blonde haired boy leans closer to examine the wound. Yama's breath hitches as the boy runs gentle, cool fingers down his knee before he cups Yama's calf in his hand. 

"I can fix this." 

Yama's eyes snap to his. "W-What?" 

"I can fix this. It will not be pleasant but...it can be done."

"I-I don't know...I think I'll just...wait?" 

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Yama only hums in response, the pain beginning to come back to him at full force. He bites into his lip but before he knows it, those same gentle fingers are running below his lip and Yama's skin bubbles with chills as he looks straight into the boys eyes. "Please," the boy whispers, "don't hurt yourself more." 

Yama squints his eyes and stares deep into the boy. "Name...what's your name?" 

The boy snickers and closes his eyes. "Call me Tsukki." 

Yama grows hotter. "Tsukki," he whispers. "I like that." 

"And I like yours as well," mutters Tsukki as Yama grows confused. But before he can open his mouth to speak, Tsukki has both hands on his leg and Yama jumps. Tsukki looks to him. "I apologize and believe me when I say I do not wish to hurt you but if I don't do this, you will continue to bleed and you will die and I refuse to let that happen, am I clear?" 

Suddenly, something in Yama twitches, tugs, deep in his core as Tsukki's face starts to look...familiar? No, that can't be the word. Beautiful? Duh. No, its simply a feeling. Safely. Trust. A embedded trust that he doesn't understand, that he's never truly felt towards anyone before and at that moment, Yama feels himself lean back into the seat and grip onto the arms of his seat. 

They lock eyes, Tsukki's softening as he reaches up and runs a knuckle down Yama's face. "I'll be as quick as I can." 

Yama nods. 

Tsukki's hand stops as he leans closer. "Don't be afraid." 

_Afraid._

Yeah, he probably should feel afraid. He should feel something about this situation. But all he con focus on is Tsukki. _Tsukki, Tsukki, Tsukki_ and he then feels himself smile, closing his eyes as well as closing the distance between them, foreheads touching. He can hear Tsukki gasp. It makes Yama smile wider. 

"I'm not afraid." 

He pulls away, surprised to see the boys sturdy face now limp and pale. Tsukki nods, running his thumb over Yama's lip before moving both hands to his leg. "On three-"

Tsukki snaps the bone back. 

Yama knows he's screaming but he can hear nothing. 

A darkness clouds his eyes.

He can hear Tsukki calling his name but nothing else. 

Yama knows he's screaming but it doesn't last for long as he falls unconscious in Tsukki's lap. 


	10. Oikawa and Iwaizumi

"Tooru!" cries Iwaizumi as he scatters down the aisle of the bus. He knocks into Kuroo as he and Suga both cradle their souls in their laps. "Tooru!" he calls again, eyes desperately searching, longing to just see him, to know he's alive...to know-

 _He's not dead_ , Iwa thinks to himself through his panic. _If he was dead, you'd be dead._

"Iwa!" Suga meets his eyes. "Door, check by the door."

Iwa's eyes spring forward, leaping over him and Kuroo as he jumps over the hurdles of seats, stepping on body after body, some dead, most simply injured. He checks below his feet as he rushes towards the door, one of the glass panels shattered and he stops.

"No..." He rushes forward, grabbing onto the side of the door as he turns the corner, Tooru's body hanging half way out of the door while the other half lays on the side of the bus. "Fuck," he hisses as he inches his way forwards, the bus screeching as he climbs over Tooru, climbing out onto the side of the bus. "Oh Tooru," he weeps as he places his hand on the side of his cheek, running his thumb over the large scar cascading down his face, over his nose, across his lips down his neck. Iwaizumi crawls until he lays on his stomach, ignoring just how high up they are upon the cliff, gulping down his anxiety as he scoots closer towards Tooru. With all the strength he can muster, he pulls Tooru free from the door and hauls him onto the side, into his lap, flipping him and...

"No," mutters Iwa as he takes in the large gash zig-zagged across Oikawa's chest. Tooru's white tee, tight and slimming, now clings to his body soaked in dark red. "No, no, no." He leans closer, slapping at Tooru's face as he leans down and listens for his heart. 

Silence. 

" _No_. Don't...don't do this," he swallows as he presses his ear harder to Tooru's chest. 

Silence. 

Iwa feels light headed. _Oh god..._

Silence. 

Iwa's eyes flutter. 

"I-I don't wanna die..." Iwa falls against Tooru. "Tooru, please, look at me." 

Silence. 

His lungs feel heavy. 

"Tooru, dammit, not like this," he whispers, gasping. 

He can feel his heart slowing.

"Not like this, I-I have too much I haven't told you!" 

His heart slows. 

Slower. 

"T-Tooru..." he gasps again, sagging lower and lower. "I love you, you fucker," he grits. "I love you." 

Iwa pounds a fist against Tooru's chest. 

He's weak but he does it again and again, each pound a little harder. 

"Tooru, I love you."

Another slam to the chest.

"I love you."

Another pound.

"W-Wake up," he wheezes.

Another pound. "I-"

Tooru gasps, loud and violent as he lifts his back from Iwa's lap, falling back as his lungs fill with air. Iwa's body tingles back awake, back alive as he grips at his heart, panting as he looks down, watching ad Tooru coughs through his breathing. Iwa laughs as his hands cup the sides of Tooru's face. "Yes, yes! There you go, Tooru, breathe!" 

His heart speeds up. He places a hand over Oikawa's heart. It's beating. 

Iwa laughs again and leans down to place a kiss to Oikawa's forehead. Tooru stills. Iwa leans away, eyes remaining locked onto lazy ones. Tooru is calm, gazing into Iwa as if they had been doing their their entire lives. Well...I was had but Tooru-

"You," Tooru breathes, raspy. Iwa swears his heart stops beating again. "You were-"

Tooru coughs, Iwa puts a hand on his chest. "Don't talk too much, you're injured." 

Tooru freezes. "W-What-" 

"Don't look. you don't like blood as it is," Iwa giggles. 

"How do you.." Tooru's brow scrunches. "Do I know you?" 

"Not really. But hopefully-" The bus screams, metal screeching as the bus jolts. Everyone inside the bus yells. "Fuck." 

"What?" 

Iwa looks to Tooru. "We need to get all of you off this bus." 

 


	11. Tanaka and Yachi

Tanaka wakes with small hands on his face, his lip pulsing and his eyes twitching. His head is killing him and as he wakes, he's embarrassed to admit that all he wants to do is scream. Scream for the silly pain and the way that his body is failing him. He's not familiar with pain, with the feeling of aching, throbbing. Guardians know nothing of human stimulation, of painful sensations but damn, everything hurts as he finally allows himself to open his eyes when...

_Yachi._

He jumps in his seat, a small voice before him yelping as he spins and meets her eyes, eyes of hazel and hair of hay. Tanaka feels his eyes expand as he takes in her face. So close, she's so close to him and god, she smells amazing. He's always loved the way that she smells; coconut and lemon, such a strange combination but he's always loved it, embraced it all the times that he's followed by her side when she walked down strange alleys, all the times he had to watch as that asshole beat her in their bedroom. 

The bruises, the ones that he gained from finally beating that bastard into the ground like he deserved, on his face now stung in a way that he was always able to ignore before the descent and as he continues to gape at her, all he can think about is how awful Yachi must have felt before, when he littered her flawless skin with colors of black and yellow. 

Tanaka grits his teeth, regretting it instantly as he watches Yachi flinch. "S-Sorry! Sorry, just...in pain." 

Her fear falls away instantly as she chuckles. "Yeah, I can understand why,' she says as she reaches out and runs a finger over his lip. Tanaka twitches, leashing back the blush flooding his cheeks. "Are you okay?" 

"No, are you okay?" he asks reaching up and running his fingers through her hair, brushing her bangs away from her eyes. There's a scar, nothing too bad but god, how he hates to see her in pain. "You're hurt," he whispers, eyes sliding down to meet her wide ones. She's beautiful, lips apart and cheeks burnt red. It makes a smile tug at his lips. "You're perfect." 

Her head tilts as her eyes wash over his face. "I know you-don't I?" 

Tanaka panics. 

"You helped me...with Aone, the other day..." 

"You...remember that?" 

Yachi lifts her brows. "Are you kidding me? You...probably saved my life. Thank you, I didn't get to say that before."

Tanaka licks his lips. "Just doing my job," he mutters.  

Yachi looks at him strange. "A-Are you a cop or something?" 

"No," he laughs, ribs biting him as he bends over. 

"Careful, you goof," she looks down at him, eyes plastered with worry. "Are you in pain?"

He smiles, hand flying back to run his fingers through her hair. "I'm great. I'm glad you're okay." 

She hesitates but finally, Yachi smiles and nods slow. "Oh, but...but my friend, he's..."

Tanaka panics again, leaping to his feet. "Hinata." He looks around until his eyes spot the broken window, Hinata missing from his seat. He looks out the window down, down out of the bus at the small ledge just below where the bus landed to see...

_Oh god._


	12. Hinata and Tobio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I'm aware those snippets were really short but I did that for a reason. I needed to fit everything in and that seemed like the best way to do it. Trust me, there are longer chapters to come! <3
> 
> Thank you all for your comments, I'm sos happy that y'all are liking the story!

**A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH**

All that Tobio can see is black and at first, he's calm. He's calm in the darkness, where he lived most of his life. Where he grew up, where he became who he was, where he built his own world and made his own experiences. He's safe in the darkness, away from the lights and fast pace and scary paintings of the world he's slowly come to know over the past months. At first, Tobio forgets that he ever had his vision at all, that he ever learned the curves of his parents cheeks or that he finally saw the water in the lake behind his house. Tobio forgets that he ever laid eyes on the faces of his friends, that he watched them play volleyball and that they all played volleyball together in a way that they never had before. Tobio almost forgets, almost, until he remembers that he also laid eyes onto Hinata, his Hinata, Hinata-

With a roar, Tobio's eyes snap open as he gasps, pain nailed to the bottom of his back and...

_Oh god._

Black. Everything is black. There's no spots of orange, there's no Hinata. No, it's all black. All of it. All of it-

Hinata. God, no. Not now, not after he saw him, memorized his face. Not after his touched his cheeks and learned the structure of his lips. Not after laying eyes on the most beautiful creature Tobio knew could ever live. To lose his sight again, to  lose this new part of himself...Tobio's thoughts go back to that night in the bathroom. To how he held the blade, how it carved a scar into his palm as he gathered the courage to drag it across the thin skin covering the veins on his wrists.

He wishes he was back in his bathroom with that knife. Alone. Blind to a world that involved Hinata. Blind to a world that offered him hope. Blind-

"TOBIO!" 

Even though the cry is distant, he knows that it's Hinata by the shake in his voice and Tobio feels tears swell behind his eyes. "H-Hinata," he whispers to himself. He hears his name called again, again as it grows closer and closer and as much as he wants to respond, Tobio is paralyzed. Frozen by the fact that he's trapped, trapped in a fog of black darker than the one where he live before. A world without even the shine of orange rivers and skies, without Shouyou and Tobio feels his tears slip down his cheeks.

"Tobio, answer me please! Please, I need to hear your voice."

He's crying, Tobio knows it and his heart crumbles.

"Tobio, please," Hinata begs. "Please, say something-"

"I can't see!" he screams, breathing heavy as he feels his body begin to panic. As he feels himself throb and tingle along side the fear sleeping at his side. His breathing quickens, heart racing as his hands rip at his shirt, nails clawing their way closer to his heart. "I-I can't..."

 _I want it gone. Rip it out_ , he thinks as he his panic attack worsens.  _Rip it out. I don't want this anymore._

"Tobio, I'm coming down." 

Tobio stills. _Coming down?_

Oh yeah, the crash. The bus...it crashed and...

_His friends. Oh...oh, god..._

Tobio feels his panic attack resurface as the faces of his friends slide into view. Yachi, Daichi, Asahi, Oikawa, Kenma, Yama...

"My friends!" Tobio calls back. 

"I promise, your friends are okay." 

He's closer. Tobio stills. 

"H-Hinata," he calls.

Nothing. 

"Hinata..."

Silence. 

"Hinata!"

Tobio feels at peace as he's pulled hard into someone's lap, the body absorbing him small and familiar and gentle as small hands hold tight onto his cheeks and Tobio shatters; shatters against Hinata's chest as they both cry into each other, Hinata planting soft but hungry kisses against Tobio's forehead, against his cheeks. Tobio reaches up and clumsily rests his palm against Hinata's cheek, the need to simply feel him eating at Tobio from the inside out. Hinata places a hand over Tobio's, leaning into Kageyama's palm as he sniffles and laughs weakly. 

"You're okay now," Hinata whispers and Tobio blinks rapidly as suddenly, a small beam of orange breaks through the fog held over his eyes. "You're safe. I'm not going anywhere." 

Orange. More bright orange begins to seep through as Tobio blinks, batting away the darkness until the first blotch of sunlight stings his eyes. 

Tobio gasps as he sits up quick, holding a hand in front of his face. It's blurry but he sees it, an outline...

"Keep talking," demands Tobio as he spins to face Hinata. "K-Keep talking to me." 

Hinata, even blurry, Tobio can see appears speechless but he does as Tobio commands. Hinata scoots closer to Tobio, crawling towards him on his knees until he wraps his arms around Tobio's neck. "You're not alone, Kageyama." More light. Hinata becomes clearer. "You're okay. You're friends will be okay." More light. Tobio begins to smile and as his vision sharpens, he can see that Hinata is too. "Nothing will happen to you while I'm here." Hinata brushes Tobio's sticky hair from his eyes. "You're mine and I will keep you safe." 

All at once, just then, Hinata is there. Kneeling before him, arms locked around his neck and god, he's never looked so beautiful. His eyes, damp and glistening are brighter than ever before as his hair, messy and wild on his head, seems to be glowing...

Their eyes search each other as Hinata realizes what's happening. Tobio in a one quick motion lifts Hinata until he's sitting in Tobio's lap, Hinata's legs wrapped firm around his waist. Hinata whines, pure and sensual as he's pulled against Tobio. Tobio drags his fingers wildly through Hinata's hair, clinging to him, feeling him and with each stroke of his hand, Hinata whimpers, melting beneath Tobio's touch and the sounds he make turn tobio to smoke as he draws Hinata into his arms. "You're stunning," breathes Tobio as Hinata cuddles into the crook of Tobio's neck. "You're the reason why I can see and you're beautiful..." 

Hinata stills. Tobio does as well. 

Hinata leans back, eyes scanning his souls face. 

"What?" Tobio asks is a whisper as he runs his knuckles down Hinata's jawline. 

"P-Please kiss me." 

Tobio's cheeks catch fire as Hinata's words burrow into his skin. He pauses, hesitates-

But not for long as before he can think, his lips lock with Hinata's and in one quick motion, they forge. Becoming one, Tobio has never felt more like himself as the kiss between him and Hinata heats, scorches, and he has to remind himself that he's alive; that this isn't a dream.That Hinata is on top of him, cock hard against his chest, legs wrapped around his waist, nails biting into his neck, tongue in his mouth,  _kissing him._ Tobio moans into Shouyou's mouth, Hinata swallowing his sound as he feels the smaller boys tongue taste every part of him. Tobio knows he should feel strange about the connection, that there's no way that he could actually feel this comfortable with another person, but Hinata's tongue in his mouth, Tobio feels nothing but tranquility. 

The kiss grows hotter, passionate, everything Tobio ever dreamed of and as Hinata begins to grind against him, Tobio forgets the fact that above his head dangles a bus holding all of his friends, guilt biting at his stomach, as all he wants is to devour Hinata. To make him his. 

 _Mine_ , Hinata had called him. _You are mine_. 

"Mine," Tobio growls into the kiss and Hinata turns to stone. Tobio worries he went to far. 

Hinata draws back, spit trailing away from their kiss as they break apart, both panting. " _Yours_ ," he conforms, stern, eyes serious. " _I'm all yours._ " Tobio bites into his lip and he loves the way Hinata's eyes flutter at the action, at the fact that he can drive Hinata crazy, that he can make his cock hard. Hinata digs his nails into Tobio's shoulders. "and as much as I'd love for this to continue," he says, right as the bus screams from above them, Tobio shivering. "We need to get you out of here, now." Hinata looks back up to the bus and takes a deep breath. "Can you climb?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. Don't hate me. 
> 
> Not everyone could survive the crash! That's not realistic (she says about a piece based around the idea of angels)  
> I love you and I love these characters! I just like to put them in situations that make them deeper ;)  
> Don't hate me, lovelies!

"Daichi?" Asahi says as his eyes (finally, if he may add) pull away from Noya and fall to his friend, laying still in the lap of a young man with silver hair. At the sound of his name, the man with silver hair looks up, eyes red and damp and Asahi finds himself a tad taken back. He looks over to see a taller man; jet black hair sharp as knifes, holding Kenma in his arms, hands brushing back his hair and Asahi turns to Noya confused. 

Noya stares back with tilted lips, looking up at Asahi through thick eyelashes. _Beautiful_ , Asahi thinks with a heavy heat in his gut. But it doesn't stop him from asking what he know he needs to. "Who are you? All of you, w-"

"That's a heavy question to answer right now." 

"Well, I-I want one!" Asahi yelps, voice cracking and he hates himself. 

Noya bites the inside of his cheek as he inches closer to Asahi, hand on both of Asahi's massive shoulders. "I will answer any questions you have about me after I get you off this bus. My only goal is making sure you don't die today, am I clear?" Asahi skips a few breathes before simply nodding, taken back by the sheer firmness filling Noya's voice. Noya lifts his long hand to run a finger over Asahi's chin. "Please, trust me." 

That damn word again. 

His mother's face slides into view as she steps into the car... 

_"Asahi, do you trust me?"_

_Asahi nods back at his mother, smile stretched from ear to ear._

_"I'll be back, baby"_

Asahi shakes away the memory of the mother that he never saw again, honing onto Noya's glare. "I'm trusting you."

Noya's lip twitches. "And I'm honored," he whispers, taking Asahi's hand and placing a kiss on Asahi's palm. Asahi drowns in his chills. Noya then drops Asahi's hand and leaps over the seat, making sure to land softly onto the side of the bus that now acts as the floor. He tip-toes over to the boy with silver hair, who still cradles Daichi's head in his lap. "Suga, can you move him?"

"Yes."

Noya nods then turns to the boy with spiked hair. "Is he injured?"

"His head."

Asahi makes his way to Kenma. "He's anemic."

The boy with sharp hair meets eyes with Asahi and damn, Asahi has never experienced anything more intimidating. "What does that mean?"

"Aplastic Anemia. I-It means that his body doesn't do what it should, stem cells and all that. But losing blood is really bad for him."

The boy growls. "We need to get him out of here, Suga."   

"I know, Kuroo, I know!" he snaps back, studying Daichi harder. 

Asahi bends down close to Daichi and strokes the side of his face. Suga gasps. "Is he..."

"He's alive," Suga says through a wide smile.  _Warm. He's so comforting. "_ I believe he may have suffered a concussion though. And the wound-"

"He'll be okay. He's a clutz, I swear, he's always hurting himself." 

Suga beams. "I know," Asahi hears him mutter to himself and he knows Noya isn't surprised when he looks back at him, begging the boy for an explanation. 

Noya answers him with his eyes. _I will._

_You better._

_I promise._

"Hey!" Asahi hears from behind him and the eyes of everyone in the group turn to the back of the bus. Cradling Yama at his side stands a tall, skinny blonde boy, just as beautiful as the rest but as soon as Asahi lays eyes on Yama's leg, his fears of the new stranger fade. "We need to get out of here, now!" 

"Tsukki?" yells Kuroo. 

Suga interrupts. "Where the hell is Hinata?" 

"Down there," speaks a new voice and Asahi looks over to see a boy, bald, handsome, Yachi by his side pointing out of the bus. 

Asahi turns to Noya as he rushes down the length of the bus. "Who's Hinata?" 

"You'll learn in time, baby!" Noya calls back and as he says that, Asahi and Yachi match eyes. Asahi blushes. 

"Noya, what is it? What's going on?" Suga calls from behind Asahi. 

"He's...down there alright," Noya mutters anxiously. "He's with Tobio." 

Yachi and Asahi, Yama as well, all snap in Noya's direction. "How do you know that name?" 

The bald boy looks to Yachi, hand on her cheek. "We can explain that later..." 

She slaps his hand away stubbornly. "No, who the hell are you guys-" 

The bus screams. The bald boy sweeps Yachi off her feet as the bus shakes and Asahi watches as the blonde boy holds Yama while he screams into his chest. 

"Fuck," Asahi whimpers under his breath, moving his way down the bus towards Yama. When he gets there, Asahi kneels before Yama and examines the wound. 

If there is one thing Asahi _isn't_ skittish about, it's blood. His entire life has been revolved around helping the elderly, helping those in need and so when he graduated and went straight into a the paramedic program, no one was really surprised. If he had the money, Asahi would have been a surgeon. something important. Something stronger. But if he can help, he's happy. 

Asahi looks up at Yama. "Trust me?" 

Yama bites into his lip before nodding. 

The blonde boy growls. "If you hurt him-" 

"Never," Asahi responds calmly. Asahi runs a finger over the sides of the wound, blood staining his fingers. Yama doesn't flinch. "Can you feel that, Yama?" 

Yama whimpers and shakes his head. 

"Dammit." 

Noya leans over. "What? What's wrong?" 

"The nerves may be damaged. Can you stand on it? Does it hurt?" 

Yama leans closer into the blonde boy. "It did...earlier," he gasps and the boy at his side winces. "But...I can't really feel anything now. Is...is that bad?"

Asahi grabs Yama's hand. "Don't panic on me. You're in shock, your body is probably just producing a lot of adrenaline. Everything will be okay, Yama," Asahi winks. 

Yama nervously nods, looking to the boy at his side. The blonde monster finally cracks a smile and despite the permanent scowl painted onto his face, as soon as he smiles he changes. He softens and Yama seems calmed by it. Asahi is grateful. 

Asahi looks to Noya, whose staring at Asahi as if he were an angel, lips parted and cheeks red. God, he's gorgeous. Hair the color of almonds, skin like satin...

Noya reaches out and twirls a strand of Asahi's long hair around his finger. "I'm so proud to be yours," Noya whispers and Asahi almost faints at the severity, at the seriousness to his words. 

Asahi opens his mouth to answer before he hears Yachi yelp. "Tanaka! H-Hey, be careful!" 

Asahi and Noya turn to see the bald boy, Tanaka, stretched far over the edge, body hanging out of the bus. 

"Idiot, get back in here!" yells the tall blonde. 

"Shut it, Tsukki," Tanaka. "Hinata, can you reach?" 

Asahi looks out the window to see Hinata cradling Tobio on his back and he has to admit, the image is quite comical, Tobio's long limbs dangling over the smaller boy like vines. 

"Does it look like I can reach?" sarcastically calls the boy from below. He's not too far but far enough and Asahi wonders how Tobio survived the fall. 

Asahi yells out the window. "Is Tobio okay-"

"I'm okay," Tobio calls back and Asahi sighs. "Everyone else?" 

Asahi turns back to get a head count. 

Kenma.

Yama.

Yachi. 

Daichi. 

Oik...

Asahi panics. 

"TOORU!" 

Yachi and Yama freeze. "Oikawa!" calls Yachi as she pushes away from Tanaka, who desperately rushes after her. She jumps over Kuroo, stopping when she sees Kenma and Daichi both unconscious, before continuing down the bus, frantically shouting his name. 

"Yachi, careful," Tanaka calls after Yachi. "Careful-" 

Yachi yelps as she reaches the door, face paling. 

Everyone goes silent. 

Yachi breaks, tears exploding as she falls back against Tanaka, who looks just as sick. 

"Y-Yachi?" stammers Yama, his voice small. Distant. 

_No. Please, no._

Noya grips onto Asahi's shirt. 

Suga and Kuroo still, Suga slowly turning his head in their direction. "T-Tanaka. Tanaka, where's Iwa?" 

Tanaka doesn't answer. 

Noya screams from behind Asahi and God, he feels his soul shatter at his cry. "Tanaka, where's Hajime?!"

Yachi falls into Tanaka, his hand holding her head to her chest as she sobs. 

Suga's head drops. 

Asahi looks back to Noya. "N-Noya..." 

"Tanaka, is he dead?" speaks Tsukki, his voice flat, eyes damp. 

Asahi stares at Noya. 

Tanaka answers. "Yes." 

Noya's eyes flutter closed, shaking. 

"Tooru..." whines Asahi. 

 

Noya grips Asahi tighter. "I'm sorry," he whispers. 

Asahi feels himself break before he hears it. 


	14. Chapter 14

He knew it. He knew it was too good to be true. 

As Oikawa lays against the side of the bus, breath heavy while light, all once, Iwaizumi can't help but feel as though he can predict what's coming. He can see it, in the way Tooru's cheeks hang sunken beneath his cheekbones, the way his lips are slowly fading to blue, the way his yes, god, those eyes that could rip Iwaizumi in two if he let his guard down...

He knew Tooru wasn't long for this world and that he wasn't either. 

Tooru's eyes are glued to Iwa's, the milky brown washing dull as he examines Iwa in the way that Hajime had always wanted him to do. He had dreamt of Tooru for as long as he could remember, dreamt of how his lips would feel, dreamt of what it would be like to run his hands down his chest, down, down to places he, as a Guardian, shouldn't think of. He fell for Tooru hard, like being slammed by a giant concrete wall, there was nothing Tooru could do or say that would ever cause Iwa to ever love him less.

Yes, love. God, he loved him. Loved him in a way that he never knew his body could express and as he lifts his hand, palm shaking against Tooru's arctic skin, he could think of nothing better than to die at his side. 

Of course he wishes it different. Of course he wishes that he could have loved Tooru in the way that he deserved. Of course he wanted to kiss him, make love to him, make him happy in ways never experienced by anyone before. But...

 _Fuck you,_ he curses in his head at the higher ups. _Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you_. 

Why Tooru? Why my world, why my entire existence, my reason for living? 

Why would you take him from me?

"H-Hey," gasps Tooru in between pants. Iwa's eyes spring to match his eyes. "What's your n-name?" 

Iwa purses his lips. "Iwaizumi." 

For a moment, Tooru says nothing, blood stringing from the side of his mouth before he smiles soft. "I-Iwa-", Tooru coughs. "I like Iwa." 

Tears play at his eyes. "I love Tooru," he whispers. 

Oikawa's eyes narrow. "You're...special, aren't you? You're...safe." 

Iwa's nose scrunches. "Not special enough," he moans, thumb running along Tooru's jaw. "I-I couldn't save you." 

"Why would...you're silly, Iwa," he jokes and Iwa shakes his head. 

"Y-You never take anything seriously," he laughs through his tears. 

Tooru's eyes flutter shut. "You know m-me too well, Iwa-chan."

God, his heart was flaking inside of his chest. 

_Say my name forever, Tooru._

_Say it until it sound foreign._

_"_ W-will...will you hold my hand, Iwa-chan?" 

That was all it took, all it took for Hajime's heart to burst behind his ribs and suddenly, he feels it. He feels himself die, feels his body fall numb because instantly, he knows. He knows that Tooru is more than aware that he's dying. 

Hajime knows that they're both about to die. 

"I'll...please-" 

Hajime doesn't wait any longer. He takes one of Tooru's hands in both of his, kissing down along Oikawa's knuckles and he's pleased to see Tooru's lips part and his pale cheeks burnt a little brighter. 

"You're...lips are soft," he whispers. 

"So are your hands. But you're addicted to lotion," smiles Iwa. 

"Iwa-chan is a little scary." 

Iwa laughs. "I wish I could make you understand. Oh Tooru, I-I would do anything for you."

Tooru's eyes open slowly, burning hot with something Hajime hasn't seen in years. "Would you kiss me?" 

Iwa is sure his blood has stopped flowing beneath his skin. "T-Tooru-" 

"Please. Please, Iwa-chan. I-I don't wanna die without-" 

Iwa puts a finger against his lips. "Don't say it. Don't beg me, you're breaking my heart." 

The smallest smile breaks across his souls face. "Then kiss me, Iwaizumi." 

He heats, his cheeks, his arms, his heart. " _Yes_ ," he breathes, moving until he can lift Tooru into his lap, blood staining the palms of his hands and Iwa cries harder. "Of course." 

Using the back of his hand, fingers tailor into Tooru's hair, he grips gentle to the back of Oikawa's neck, skin ice cold against his hand. Tooru's large, wide eyes scan over Iwa's lips, across his eyes where he stops and smiles. "B-Beautiful," Tooru whispers. "You would have been easy to fall in l-love with..." 

Hajime pulls Tooru to him, lips crashing against each other and fuck, it's everything. _Tooru is everything._  Oikawa gasps into Iwa's mouth as his lips part, tongue spilling across Iwa's desperately as their mouth mingle and explore and taste. Tooru taste of alcohol and mint, sweet and sharp and how he hates the universe, how he hates that as they kiss that he can taste Tooru fading, that he can feel Tooru leaving him.  

Tooru's hands come to tangle within Iwaizumi's hair, weak fingers tugging as hard as they can. Iwa knows he's crying, no, not crying; breaking. Crumbling beneath Tooru's hands as they mend, mold, merge, into one being. This kiss is perfect, passionate, hot, and again, he curses to the higher ups, to the bastards that decided that this beautiful, compassionate man, this man that he's loved his entire life didn't deserve to live. 

_Tooru._

_Tooru, I love you._

_I-I will not let you die...not alone._

Finally, he pulls away from Tooru to find that...

No. 

"No," Iwa whispers, holding his face between his hands. "No, don't cry. Please don't cry. It will be okay-" 

"I don't want to die, Iwa-chan..." 

His heart evaporates. Vanishes. 

Iwa smiles and lays beside Tooru, foreheads touching. He closes his eyes. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. I would never leave you." 

Iwa sniffles. Tooru cries harder. "You love me..." 

"I do," he breathes. "I do _so, so_ much. You'll never know how much..."

"Y-You...love me..." 

Tooru's eyes droop. 

Iwa's chest tightens again. 

Oh God. Not again...

Tooru's lips fall apart. 

Iwa sobs. "Tooru..." 

His chest compresses. Heart beat slows. 

"Tooru, I love you." 

"Iwa...Iwaizumi..."

"Hajime," he says, hand clutching at his chest as he feels himself falling numb. "Hajime..."

Tooru smiles. " _Hajime_...love's me." 

Iwa nods. 

Tooru's eyes close. 

His chest stops moving. 

Iwa feels cold, hands squeezing tight around Oikawa's. 

"I'm right here." 

"Hajime..." 

Iwa's eyes close. 

_Hinata. Tanaka. Suga. Noya. Tsukki. Kuroo._

_Tooru._

Goodbye. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU. 
> 
> That's for everyone who leaves me beautiful comments on this crazy, painful story.  
> You're all amazing and serious troopers. 
> 
> Ah...it will get better. I PROMISE. If you've read my other stories, you know I like happy endings! 
> 
> I love ya'll, enjoy! <3

Yachi falls back into his arms, body reeling as she continues to stare at Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Oikawa; that was always the name he had heard Iwa speak, never his first name. No, that was something only for Hajime, that was a name not meant for anyone else to say, none of the other Guardians at least. But as Yachi sobs into Tanaka's chest, a name he can only assume to be Oikawa's first....

" _Tooru_ ," she weeps, nose dripping and sweat formed along her brow. "Tooru, Tooru..."

Tanaka rans a light hand through her hair, finger combing through each lock as his eyes can't seem to tear away from Iwa. 

Iwa who helped to teach him to fly. 

Iwa who was the only one amongst them brave enough to challenge Suga when he felt it needed. 

Iwa, the one who always gave him the push he needed when it came to Yachi...

Tanaka dips his head won, chin nestled in Yachi's hair as his eyes melt within his skull. No, he can't cry now. Not now, not with Yachi in his arms, not when she's hurting. No, he can cry later. He will have his time but that time is not now as as much as he wants to get Iwa off this damn bus and onto solid ground, his mind is elsewhere. 

His mind can only think of Yachi's safety and as usual, he's the one to come back to reality. 

His head pops up as his eyes go to the other. "Suga," he yells, voice flat. "We need to go." 

Yachi sniffles and looks up at Tanaka. He forces a smile. "W-What about-" 

"We can take care of...of them later," Tanaka hears Tsukki bark from the back as he now cradles Yama in his arms. "If we don't go now, we're all going die."

"Tsukki," growls Noya as he wipes at the single tear streaming down his slim cheek. Asahi leaning a forehead against his shoulder and it suddenly hits Tanaka how quick all became connected. Suga holding Daichi, Tsukki cradling Yamaguchi, Noya with Asahi, Hinata with Tobio, Kuroo with Kenma and he with Yachi. 

Yachi. 

_Safe._

He will keep her safe. 

Again, he speaks up. "Suga, we need to go." 

Suga sighs as he runs his hand down the side of Daichi's cheek once more. "Yes, yes. I know." His arms snake beneath Daichi as his small frame lifts Daichi as if he weighs nothing but then, that's Suga. Hidden strength layered beneath that small frame of his and Tanaka can't help but fold in the tiniest of smiles. Suga leans his forehead to his pairs before turning to look at Tanaka. "How far?" 

Tanaka knows what he means. He reaches for Yachi's hand, sure to keep some sort of hold on her for as long as he can, as he slowly and carefully makes his was towards the door, towards Iwa. He fights his tears. He fights the smell of blood that ours from the head of the bus driver behind him and swallows as he reaches the side. Yachi's grip on his hand tightens, hard. They match eyes and Tanaka smiles. He mouths that it's okay and after a moment, Yachi nods. Tanaka winks at her before turning back to the outside....back to Hajime. 

"Careful, Ryuu," calls Noya from the back.

His voice causes Tanaka's eyes to flutter. Heights do not scare him. Well, they never did before, before when he had the safety nets that were his wings but now...now his body is vulnerable, fragile, like glass and he could feel now as his eyes follow the drop that descends over the ledge of the buses metal skeleton. It wasn't as far as he believed, it wasn't as far as it had looked from the window but still, it was a drop, a drop that would send them all crashing into a river that he knew couldn't be more than a few inches deep. 

He gulps down his fear. 

_No, not now._

He turns back to Suga. "About a hundred feet, maybe more." 

"Jesus," curses Kuroo as he looks harder down at Kenma, a hard lost within the boys' painted blonde locks. "Is there a ledge or something?" 

Tanaka looks ahead, happy to see that yes, only inches from the buses edge there seems to be a cliff of sorts. Something that they could climb onto if the bus was to perhaps-

The bus rattles. Yachi clings to Tanaka's arms and the shake in her hands is enough to create a small earthquake. 

"Fuck," yells Tsukki as Yama cries out, Tsukki holding him closer, Yama balling his fists into Tsukki's shirt. "Fuck, _fuck this_ , we need our wings!"

" _Tsukki_ ," snaps Kuroo.

"It's fine, it's fine," barks Suga.

"What the hell," asks a sniffling Asahi. Noya only runs a hand down his cheek.

"What about Hinata?" asks Kuroo. 

"Tsukki looks out the window. "Hell, he's in a better spot than we are." 

"B-But what if the bus drops?" suggests Yachi. "Is he in the way?" 

Noya takes a closer look. "No. No, it doesn't look like he would be." 

"But they are pretty isolated," offers Asahi and Tsukki growls. Asahi cowers. Noya growls. 

Tanaka rolls his eyes. There's _far too much growling._

 _"Stop with the protective bullshit,"_ snaps Kuroo and Tanaka internally praises him. 

"He's right. We'll get nowhere like this," says a soft voice, monotone and we all turn our heads to see Kenma slowly sit up from Kuroo's lap. 

Kuroo gasps, lips apart as he pants and looks over Kenma. "K-Kenma, you...are you okay?" 

His large, golden eyes peer up at Kuroo. "Head." 

Kuroo cracks one of his famous half smiles and we can all see the small boy blush as if he just caught fire. "You'll be okay, I'll make sure of it." His knuckles drag blood down Kenma's white jaw, the colors bright even from Tanaka stands. 

The boy turns and looks to Daichi in Suga's arms. "Is he alive?" 

Suga smiles. "Y-Yes." 

Kenma hums and turns back to Kuroo. "Tobio?" 

"Alive," he answers. 

Kenma looks to Asahi and Yama, to Yachi....but....he notices...

He looks back to Kuroo. He sighs and cups Kenma's head in the palm of his hand. "I'm sorry, Kitten," he moans, lips tight as he focuses close onto Kenma. 

The small boy sheds no tears but from his solid, mature exterior, you can see the crack, see the dam burst as those gold eyes shimmer red, blood red, before he leans his forehead into Kuroo's chest. Kuroo happily embraces him and behind Tanaka, he can hear Yachi let loose another sob. Tanaka pulls her close to him, careful to block her from the sight of Iwa and Oikawa on the edge of the bus. 

Tanaka huffs before pulling back and hooking a finger beneath her chin. "I need you to trust me." Yachi looks to him, eyes...god, she's gorgeous. "Can you do that?"

Yachi's lip pouts. 

Both hands take hold of her face as he pulls Yachi close to him, foreheads connected. "I will not drop you, do you understand me?" She does not blink. "I will die before I let anything happen to you." Her lips part. "So I need you to climb onto my back, and I'm going to get you to that ledge," he says pointing. She follows his finger and after a moment, nods. Tanaka forces a smile, it seems to soothe her. "Good girl," he whispers, kissing her cheek and she gasps. "Now," he pulls away. "Up you go." 

***

Tanaka is the first to make his way out of the bus and the second he climbs out of the door, the bus protests. 

Metal cracks and screams and bellows from beneath everyone's feet as Tanaka and Yachi climb out the door onto the side of the bus, to where Iwaizumi and Oikawa lay. Glass from some of the windows crumble from the panels, splashing across the walls of the bus that all of them wait on as Suga now moves slowly, Daichi in his arms, towards the door, Tsukki walking with Yama right behind him. 

Noya turn to look down at Hinata. "Are you guys alright?!" 

Hinata looks over his shoulder at Tobio, who is now hung over Hinata's back, eyes closed. "H-He's unconscious again. I think he might have a concussion!" Hinata calls back up. 

Noya looks back over his shoulder then to Hinata. "We're trying to leave the bus!" 

Hinata freezes and Noya's stomach drops from guilt. "Good! Good, you guys need to get out of there!" 

"Hinata-" 

"NO!" he barks back. "No, we'll be fine. We are fine. I just need to find a way off this damn ledge." 

"But-" 

"Get off that bus, Noya. Don't you dare wait for me!" 

Noya's eyes burn. 

Hinata is his friend, his family, his brother. How can he-

"Noya," calls Suga from the front of the bus. "We will not leave him." 

They battle stares before Noya sighs and nods, turning back to Hinata. "We'll come back. We will, I swear, Hinata. Just hang on!" 

Hinata laughs. "I ain't going anywhere!" 

Noya can't help but laugh at his optimism.

"Always with the damn optimism," he mutters to himself.

Noya hears Asahi clear his throat, eyes snapping fast to his pair. "W-We should move, right?"

_Oh no._

Noya knows that voice. He's watched Asahi long enough to know what that voice leads to. Noya climbs over the seats back to Asahi, practically straddling him as Noya leans over to peer up into Asahi's eyes. "Hey," he hums. "Hey, stay here." Noya digs his nails through Asahi's hair. "Stay here. Breathe."

"We need to go," whispers Asahi, eyes blank.

"Hey," Noya lightly slaps at his cheeks. "Hey, Azumane..." His pair's eyes burst open while still barren. _He's almost in._ "Come to me. Come back to me," Noya whispers, kissing lightly at both of Asahi's cheeks, at his tears. Asahi sighs. _Yes, baby, just like that._ "Come back to me. I'm right here. I'm here now." 

Kuroo stands, helping Kenma to his feet. "Who are you guys?" he asks, voice just as monotone. He looks to Kuroo. "Answers." 

Kuroo tries. "I-I-" 

"Later," snaps Noya, eyes refusing to waver from Asahi. "Asahi. We're getting off this bus. I am going to take care of you, do you hear me. So come back to me right now. Come back," he repeats, kissing his neck, the tip of his curved nose, kissing at his jaw, below his ear...below his ear....

Asahi gasps for air, breaking fast from his panic attack as he claws at his chest. His breathes are hot, smelling of mint as it slaps Noya in the face and he sags, leaning against Asahi as his pair comes back into himself. Noya digs his nails into Asahi's chest, his massive, incredible valley of sculpted perfection...his mouth waters. 

_Not now, Noya._

Asahi drops his chin in Noya's spiky hair. "Thank you," he shivers and Noya drowns in his chills. "T-Thank you..." 

Noya looks up fast and crashes his lips against Asahi's, the larger man moaning in surprise as Noya presses desperately against his pair, hand holding the back of Azumane's neck. Tears spring from his eyes instantly as he recalls all of the times that he dreamt of this, of the day that he could touch Asahi, kiss him, love him...god, he wanted to love him. He wanted to love Asahi with all the intensity in the world. He wanted to make him happy, to make him confident, to make him feel loved.

He wanted Asahi. 

And to his surprise....Asahi kisses him back. No, he not only kisses him, he _devours_ Noya as the two embrace, heated and messy, lips and teeth clashing, hands roaming. His tongue breaks in between Noya's lips and Noya always disintegrates beneath Asahi's hands, beneath the heat steaming from Asahi's touch, from the power swimming within each kiss. No dream could have matched this feeling, the feeling of them so tightly merged that they no longer exist as two. Noya balls his fist as he slams them hard against Asahi's chest, which only causes Azumane to dive into the kisses with a deeper kind of hunger, a hunger not containable....but...god, but-

Noya drags away from Asahi's lips, lips that follow after Noya's as the Guardian falls back against the seat. "Oh, Asahi...oh, my-"

"S-Sorry," pants Asahi, a hand slapped against his lips. 

Noya smiles and chuckles, leaning back up, pulling his hand away from his lips. "Never apologize for the very thing I've waited for my entire existence, Asahi Azumane." 

Asahi gulps. _Damn, that's adorable._  

Kuroo clears his throat. "Boys, it's our turn." 

Noya looks to see that both pairs have left the bus except for he, Kuroo, Kenma and Asahi. 

Noya runs a shaking hand through his hair. "R-Right." He looks back to Asahi. "Can you move?" 

Asahi only nods, reaching for Noya's hand. Noya blows out a breathe he didn't realize he was hiding. 

Without another word, Noya slips out of the seat, careful not to step on any windows as he moves before Asahi, who watches his steps with a burning scrutiny. "Look up," commands Noya. Asahi hesitates. "Look at me." Asahi listens. "I'm right here." Asahi nods.

They start to walk again. Metal cries. Asahi whimpers. Noya cringes. Kuroo curses as Kenma clings to him. He steps on a panel. His foot slips. The glass breaks. 

"NOYA!" cries Kuroo. 

Noya drops, drops....but not far. 

He looks up to see that Asahi has both hands wrapped tight around his arm. God, those hands. Massive. Perfect. Perfect. 

"Pull him up!" demands Kuroo. 

Asahi does, right into his chest, arms wrapping around Noya as if his life depended on keeping Noya close to him. Noya chuckles. "And here I am supposed to be the one to save-" 

"I felt something..." mumbles Asahi. Noya stills. "I felt my heart..."

Noya huffs. "Drop?" 

Asahi hums. "Drop." 

Noya pulls back. He steps clear of the broken window. "I'm okay," he tugs Asahi to keep walking. He does. "Almost there."

Kenma's foot slips. He whimpers. Kuroo snatches him up into his arms. Kenma blushes but only slightly before nuzzling into Kuroo's shoulder, purring. "There you go, Kitten," he whispers. Kuroo looks to Noya and nods. Noya continues to move them alone finally reaching the door, happy to find that everyone has made their way to the ledge. 

Everyone but...

He closes his eyes. "Oh Iwa..." 

Asahi gasps. "Tooru..." 

Noya looks to Asahi. "No," he grabs Asahi's chin, forcing his eyes to his. "No."

"B-But-"

"No," mumbles Kenma. 

Kuroo combs his fingers through the boys hair. 

Asahi only looks back at Noya and nods. 

The cliff is closer than imagined. Kenma is the first to go, then Asahi, Kuroo. 

Noya looks back at Iwa and Oikawa. Kuroo comes back. "Grab his legs." Noya looks to him. "I'll get his arms." 

Noya nods. 

They hand Hajime to Tanaka and Tsukki. 

They hand Tooru to Asahi and Kenma, Yachi helping as well. 

Kuroo goes back to the ledge. 

Noya looks back into the bus. 

_Hinata._

His feet are moving before he can listen to the cries of Asahi and suga behind him. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It will be okay, I promise...

Hinata peers over his shoulder at Tobio, who's breathing is now faint, too faint for Hinata's liking so he bends down and lay Tobio on his back before he watches Noya's small frame pop back into the bus. 

_Yes, Noya. Be safe. Be smart._

Hinata huffs and turns back to Tobio, brushing his sticky hair away from his eyes and smiles. "You better stay alive on me, Tobio," he whispers, leaning to kiss at his cheek. 

Tobio's skin is fair, but due to the burning of the sun, sun that wasn't awake when the bus had crashed, his skin is pinked, nose shimmering from the harsh tint of the suns hot kisses. He places his hand to Tobio's forehead. It's hot but he doesn't know if that is from the sun or from an arising fever and he curses. Hinata needs him cool, he needs him healthy...he needs him to be anywhere else but this damn ledge, a ledge that by the second seems to crumble and crack. Tobio grunts, Hinata leans nearer. Tobio's eyes flutter but remain closed and Hinata panics.

"Tobio," he mumbles, leaning close to his ear, kissing lightly beneath it and Tobio hums. Hinata smiles. "Come back," he moans. "Tell me how you're feeling, please." 

"H-Hot," he mutters. 

Hinata winces. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't do more." 

Tobio laughs, low and rustic and god, it drives the Guardian mad. "You may be capable of unfathomable things, Shouyou, but you cannot control if I get a fever or not." 

"Is anything hurting, anything else beside your head?" 

He hums. "M-My stomach."

"Like...an ache?" 

Tobio shakes his head. "Like...bloated."

Hinata's blood falls arctic. 

No, no, no.

"Tobio, I'm going to lift your shirt, okay?" 

"Hm, I knew you only wanted me for my body," Tobio jokes. 

"Damn, you've found me out." 

He laughs and it's stunning. His laugh, heavenly, far more than Hinata could ever try to be. Finally, he gathers his courage and lifts Tobio's shirt, a bruise the size of a large frying pan staring back at him , falling below the hem of Tobio's pants to the top of his belly button and Hinata breaks, cracks, shatters, explodes at the thought that Tobio probably has internal bleeding. 

No, no, NO! They were supposed to die because of the crash. They were supposed to drop, fall into the water. They were supposed to die quick, fast. There was to be no pain. He wasn't supposed to bleed to death, slowly, nope. This was not what Suga had briefed him on, this was not how it was supposed to go. It wasn't supposed to be this...

"Ouch, that's not good," moans Tobio and Hinata looks to meet his eyes, lips pursed as he holds back tears. "Hey, don't look at me like that, don't look at me like I'm a lost cause." 

Hinata looks back to Tobio's stomach. "But-" 

"I'm not going to die on this damn cliff with my stomach bleeding out, not after I met you. Things don't work like that, right? Things can't be that fucked up? I-I couldn't have been cheated from my sight, only to have it re granted to me, only to have met you, to touched you and kissed you..." Hinata drops his chin, tears dropping with him. "No, I'm not going to die. I refuse because unlike before..." Tobio coughs, it started the Guardian. "Unlike before, I don't want to die. I don't want to leave you," he wheezes, words sharp. 

Hinata gasps, panting, before he crawls over Tobio and cradles his face within his hands, kissing down Tobio's jaw and nose and cheeks before reaching his lips...Lips...lips that taste of summer and water and earth. Tobio opens those lips to allow Hinata to taste his earth, to run his tongue along Tobio's, to make him his, yes, Tobio does this happily, only kissing back when his body can no longer resist but to kiss Hinata back; to kiss him deeply, wholesomely. 

_Mine._

_Mine._

_You will take him from me because he is mine._

Hinata draws back, reluctantly, he may add. Tobio follows in pursuit. They rest against each other. 

"I can't fix you...not, not like this. Not when I'm nothing higher than what you are," admit Hinata, utterly defeated. 

"It wouldn't change anything." 

"Tobio, no-"

"It wouldn't change how I feel about you. How unbelievably attached to you I feel, how connected we are-" 

"I can't do anything like this!" screams Hinata, sitting up, slamming his fists against his chest. "I'm useless to you in this way! I'm useless, I'm nothing, I'm human! _I'm human_ and you're bleeding and I can't do a damn thing!" 

"You dumbass!" Tobio screams back and Hinata's breath hitches. "I'm human! I'm useless but here you are. You and all your mystery, here with me. Some useless blubbering human, here you are... _with me_. You climbed a damn cliff to get me, to be with me. You brought back my sight, _you_ , useless human as you call yourself, with only the tone of your words. You brought me back, you made me whole, you kissed me you..." Tobio coughs. No blood, thank god. Maybe...maybe it's not that bad. "I don't know what you are and why you're here or why you love _me._ But do not call yourself useless ever again, not in front of me. Not after all you've done for me. Not after giving me back my life. Don't you downgrade what you've done for me, Shouyou." 

And that, Tobio snaps up and tosses his arms around Hinata's neck, hugging him fiercely, truly, as passionately as a hug can be and within Hinata, the flood gates break, for until now, he's been determined to stay strong. He's refused to break in front of Tobio. But Tobio, as he hugs him, breaks before Hinata and Shouyou loses himself as they sob against each other, vulnerable and open and comfortable. Hinata had wanted nothing but this for so long. He wanted to connection, craved it, dreamt of it, longed to feel Tobio in this way and finally, God, FINALLY, he was and he loved it. 

He loved feeling so secure with his pair in the very way that he had always wanted. 

Tobio would not die. 

_No._

Hinata refused. 

He pulls away. "Tobio," he pushes him back to match stares. "We're getting out of here." 

Tobio hesitates but nods. 

Good. They're on the same page. 

***

The climb is taking a much harder toll on Kageyama's body than he expected. Sure, he's climbing, Hinata always there for when a finger slips or when a painful huff escapes his lips. Hinata is observant, cautious, watchful, for he is better than Tobio could ever wish to be. His stomach feels as though its trying to scratch through his skin, as though it hates Tobio and wants nothing more to be separated from him. 

Nauseous. Damn, he's nauseous and now, as he digs his foot into another deep cliff crevice, he can feel it. His injuries, the scar on the back of his head, the bruise (God, please just let it be a bruise), they're toying with him, poking fun at him with each push he forces upon his aching body. 

"Hinata!" 

Tobio and Shouyou both look up, Tobio happy to see Hinata's shoulders relax as he meets the eyes of his friends. "Noya, what the hell-"

"Shut up, I'm here now so stop complaining," the small boy with spiked hair calls back winking. 

_Ah, makes sense. They seem like they would be friends._

"I'm going to try to find something to-to help you up-"

"No, don't worry! I found my way down, I'll just come the same way. Meet me by that far window, second to the last!" 

That's right, Hinata got down here, he can get them back up. 

_God, you're perfect._

And he does. With each pull and step and lunge and hand slip, they make their way closer towards the bus. By the time they arrive, Noya is there, arms out stretched, taking Hinata into his arms as soon as they connect. 

_Oh._

No, they're not friends. 

They're family. 

Tobio knows this feeling. He knows family, the images of his friends' faces popping into mind and he grins, truly grins for the first time since...fuck, he couldn't remember even if he wanted to.  Finally, Hinata draws away from his friend, quick to reach out and take Tobio's hands within his, assisted in hauling him into the bus with Noya's help. 

Once inside, both of them sigh, heavy, dark. 

Safe. They're safe. Well, safer, at least. 

And then Tobio take in the rest of the bus...oh, God. they're are so many bodies. So many people who were not as lucky as they...so many people...so many...

"Tobio?" Hinata asks frantically. How long was he calling for him? Hinata combs his long fingers through Tobio's hair.

_Ah, yes, touch me more._

_"Tobio?"_

Kageyama forces a small smile. Nothing too dramatic, but enough to calm Hinata's worries. "I'm okay." 

Hinata after a moment nods and turns to Noya. "We need to help the rest of these people." 

"I plan on it but lets get him to the others first," Noya says offering Tobio the warmest of smiles. 

_Huh, I wonder to who he belongs._

Kenma? No. Asahi? Yeah, that would make sense. 

Belongs. Like he even knows what his mind means by that...

Hinata has no issues agreeing to Noya's command and so they move. Slow. Careful. Scared, stepping on bent panel and wailing metal.  _Go, go, go_ , Tobio chants in his head. _Get me off this bus. Get Hinata out of here._ There seems to be more bodies, even though Tobio knows this to be false. There wasn't this many people on the bus, were there? No, there couldn't have been...but the piles and blood and lose baggage tells him the truth, tells him of the reality of the situation. 

People are dead. Lots of people. 

And he's lucky to not be one of them. 

He's grateful for Hinata.

They reach the door. Tobio looks at the bus driver. Is he breathing? He looks closer. No, no. He's dead. He has to be dead. Once they climb out the doors and onto the side of the bus, Noya goes first, stepping out, Asahi reaching for him, the others calling for Hinata as he comes into view and Tobio makes sure to get a count of his friends. They're all there. Yes but...no, his mind is playing tricks on him. Everything's alright.

_Oikawa?_

_No, he's fine. He's okay..._

Of course, Hinata makes him go first, even to Tobio's arguments but he decides the longer he tries to fight this stubborn boy, the more time they will waste so he goes, stepping up, helped by Asahi and a tall boy with raggedy black hair. 

He thanks them, Yachi leaping towards him instantly and he does not hesitate to take her into his arms. Kenma tugs at hi shirt, Asahi hugs him too, Daichi is...unconscious but alive, as the silver haired man makes sure to reiterate as Tobio becomes frantic then...

There are two bodies. One he knows and one that he doesn't.

Their body lifeless, pale, bluish.

Dead.

"Oikawa..." he whines, kneeling down, Yachi falling with him. "T-Tooru..."

"Tobio," cries Yachi as she squeezes him tighter, his bruise yelling at him but he could care less because...

"Tooru," he repeats. He looks up to Asahi, Kenma. They look down. They look away. 

Tears. Oh, he's crying.

_No. No, not like this...no..._

No-

Metal screams. 

Everyone's head snaps in the direction of the bus, in the direction of Hinata...

Hinata? Where the hell is he?

Tobio is on his feet, on the edge of the ledge side. "HINATA! GET OUT OF THERE NOW!" 

But Hinata can't hear him, for Hinata is now back inside the bus...helping the bus driver who is most certainly _alive_.  

The silver haired man steps up beside Tobio, eyes wide and worried and soaking with tears. "HINATA, HURRY. HURRY, NOW!" 

"Hinata," cries Noya and the balled haired boy. "Get the fuck out here-" 

The bus growls back at us, so loud that we all flinch. 

"No. No, no..." 

I know what's happening. 

The bus jerks. 

"HINATA, OUT NOW!" yells the silvered hair man again, voice cracking hard.

"HINATA, RUN!" Tobio screams, bellow, howls. 

Hinata stills, then turns back and looks at Kageyama.

He looks panicked for only a second before he smiles and calls Tobio, mouths to him. 

"I love you." 

His heart drops. 

"I love you," he mouths again. 

The bus jerks. Shakes. Rattles. 

One side slips...the other side follows then within the blink of an eye, the bus is gone, dropping down, down until they watch the bus crash hard into the river. 

No one speaks. 

No one tries to speak. 

The bus is the size of a pea. 

Tears leave Tobio's eyes. 

Minutes pass. No one moves. 

Minutes. 

More minutes. 

Silence. 

Then...

Fire. Lots of it, as a roaring wave of it engulfs the bus and at that moment, Tobio can feel himself screaming, clawing at his throat as he shatters, becomes demonic, as he curses and cries and dies as he feels the heat of the fire lick at his face. 

 

Hinata...

Tobio blacks out before he time to try to fight it. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :)

Hinata knew what was about to happen.

He knew what was coming, even as the bus driver moaned, calling for his help, even before Hinata made up his mind to help the man, he knew that if he didn't get off the bus at the same time that Tobio did that he was done for, and as he feels the bus drop beneath him, feet lifting from the ground as gravity does its job, he knows that he was right. 

He doesn't bother to scream. 

He doesn't bother to be scared. 

No, the only thought running through his mind is LIVE. 

LIVE. 

_For Tobio, you will live._

The bus tilts as it drops, twisting until the bus leans into a nose dive and as much as Hinata wants to save the bus driver, there's no time, no way and they both know it. The bus driver only nods and closes his eyes as he pushes Hinata back, back until Hinata tumbles to the back of the bus, head slamming into seats and lose limbs until he slumps down between two seats. His hands cover his head, his teeth clench and his eyes slam shut and then...

The crash is bone numbing. Everything within him rattles, shakes, rocks as his face slams hard into the seat in front of him and he swears that something is broken. His nose, yes, his nose is definitely broken. Everything hurts. His neck, his head, his spine but...

Breathing...he's breathing. 

_Holy shit._

He's alive. He's in pain, lots of pain but fuck, he's alive. 

The bus is still screeching as is sinks into the watery sand that lives on the bottom of the small river. Water fills the buses floor, bodies washing back and forth as the water begins to fill the bus. 

Fuck.

This river isn't as shallow as he thought. 

He stands, breathing difficult through his cracked nose, leaping from seat to seat when he smells it...

"Oh, you've got to be joking." 

He turns back to the butt of the bus. Orange, as bright as his hair. A fire, burning hot by the back door and gas, the stench pointed and raw and Hinata is moving far faster than he was before. He steps wrong on his foot. His ankle cries beneath him. "No, not you too," he mutters to his stupid ankle. He keeps moving, moving until he reaches the door and..."Of course you're closed!" he screams, not daring to look back at the mangled body of the bus driver, of the man who saved his life. With all his might, he digs his fingers in between the two doors and pulls, yanks, cranks, prying until his nails bleed until finally, Hinata gives up and screams, slamming his fist into the already large crack veined down the glass door. 

Glass shatters. 

Skin rips around his knuckles. 

_Damn fragile body._

He slips out, out until he falls face first into the roaring river, hands clawing at anything to keep him from floating too far. But he does float for awhile, far enough to where he believes that the fire won't reach him. 

He waits. Minutes pass. Minutes right? no hours. Hell, it feels like years. He watches the bus, watches the fire grow, watching the sunlight fade beneath the sultry black smoke fuming from the bus as it catches flame, watching-

BOOM

POP

BOOM

Wicked flames fling high into the air, licking at the sky, at the rocks that mold the mountains lining the sides of the river. He cowers behind the large boulder he clings too, nails continuing to bleed out as he waits for the fire to stop raging but it takes its time. It yells, laughs, taunts until it settles back around the bus to simmer and stew and cook. 

Hinata watches, eyes damp. 

He looks up. He can't see the ledge where Tobio and his friends are.

He's wet. Cold. "I need to get out of the water..." he shivers, sun still sheltered behind black clouds. So he does, slowly, clumsily, he finds his way to the shore, rocks and moldy moss his only solid grip as he drags himself out of the water. Once out, he collapses onto his back, absorbing...no, drowning in his pain. His head hangs to the side before he lets loose a laugh, a sadistic, exhausted chuckle that sounds nothing like him and he sighs, looking up at the sky, hoping that maybe from far above him, Tobio is maybe looking in his direction. 

Can they see him? No, there's no way. 

Hell, he can barely see his hand in front of his face. 

He cough as the smoke floats past him, blanketing him, warming his cold bones. 

He closes his eyes.

_Just for awhile. I'll...wait for just a while._

His eyes glue shut. 

He falls asleep. 

***

What is that sound? 

He's dreaming, of Tobio, of them that night in his bathroom. Staring, gasping, touching, moaning... _hmm_ , he licks his lips. He feels hot. His cock twitches. 

_Yes, he needs this right now._

Tobio. He needs Tobio. He needs him to touch him, hands on his cock, tongue in his mouth _needs_ him. Hinata arches his back, running his own hands down his body as he pictures tugging on Tobio's raven hair, biting the thin skin on his neck, fucking him.

 _No_. He could never simply fuck Tobio. 

Making love to him, yes, that's Tobio. Tobio is his life, his world, his existence. He would never treat Tobio as anything less. His hands travel down. He wraps a hand around his cock, leaking and pulsing within his palm and Hinata groans, growls low in the back of his throat at the contact.

God, is this what humans feel all the time, this urge, this utter lack of control?

_How did you manage it, Tobio?_

No, well, Hinata knows the answer to that. Tobio didn't control it. He loves sex and Hinata wanted nothing more for him to love sex with him. Only him.

"Tobio," he moans, pumping faster. "T-Tobio, fuck me..." he whimpers. 

Faster. Harder, hand rubbing on skin as his pre-cum drips down his dick. 

"Yes, god, yes." 

Faster. 

He's awake now. 

"Hm..." 

Harder. 

" _A-Ah_...Tobio..."

He comes, blood rushing in his ears. He pants, smiling, lips folded in as he climaxes, finishes. 

Whoa. 

_Human._

That sound again. Air whipping, lights...white lights. Fuck, did he die? No...

The air whips. 

Hinata sits up, puts a hand up to his eyes. 

Wait..."Helicopter..." he whines, leaping to his feet. 

"HEY!" he waves. "Hey! Down here!" 

_Please tell me you have Tobio..._

A ladder drops down. 

He reaches for it-

_"Hinata!"_

The voice is faint but he knows it. He sags into himself, happy, content. 

"Mine," he mumbles as he finally reaches for the ladder. He's pulled up, up, up until he's pulled into the familiar scent of Tobio and damn, how he swallows him in, lips on his before he can think of anything else. "Thank god," he cries into Tobio's mouth. "Thank god..." 

"Shouyou..." Tobio kisses him everywhere. "I'm so happy..." 

They hug. They kiss, they kiss until Hinata can longer feel his lips. 

He's alive. 

Hinata falls asleep in Tobio's arms. 


	18. Chapter 18

When he wakes up, he's no longer in the mountains, he's no longer hot from the sun, he's no longer in the helicopter. No, Yama's on a bed, slightly stiff and smelling of hand sanitizer. His eyes are crusted over, eye lashes stuck together before he rubs at his eyes and peers into the room, florescent beams blinking above him. 

He hates the way hospitals smell, hates them in general for as a kid, Yama lived in hospitals. He lived in small rooms with talkative nurses who gave him curious looks when he would lie to them about what happened to him, when he would tell false stories about why his nose was broken or about why he needed stitches _again_. But he liked the people, the nurses, the doctors. He liked the food, the cups of jello.

But the smell, he was not a fan of and this is not his hospital, he knows none of the doctors, the nurses, the colors painted on the walls. He suddenly feels very uncomfortable, praying that Kenma will come to see him soon, praying that he's okay. He slowly begins to wake and play through the events of the crash, the smell still biting at his nose. Yama yawns, looking down at the bulky cast coiled like a snake around his leg, the urge to itch already present, another sensation that he's all too familiar with; this is not his first time in a cast. 

His hand reaches out to scratch but before he can lift to lean over, there's a hand wrapped around his and a new smell swims around him and he hums, smiles and looks up to meet Tsukki's eyes. His face is the same; lips in a line, eyes drooped, brows high but he now sports glasses, thick and rimmed in black and Yama bites his lip. 

Cute. Very cute. 

"I like them," he mumbles. Tsukki's eyes squint. "The glasses, I mean." 

He nods. "Ah." 

Yama nods as well. 

_Awkward._

Why is this so awkward? Why now?

"Are you hurting?" 

Yama looks back to him. He shakes his head. "Just itchy." 

"They said that might happen." 

"Yeah, it's pretty common," answer Yama while rubbing at his cheeks. A bad habit, how he hates his damn freckles. 

Tsukki watches him closely. "Have you...?" he drops off, pointing to the cast. 

"O-Oh, oh. Yes." 

Tsukki turns and pulls the wooden chair closer to the bed, sitting slow before he reaches and takes Yama's hand, as if they had done this for years and a part of Yama relaxes. No, not a part...all of him cools and he tries to hide his smile. "Why?" Tsukki finally asks. 

Yama hesitates, shaking his head a bit. "I'm sorry?" 

"You were hurt before, why?" 

Yama blushes. "Oh, um-well-"

"Well?" 

Yama grins, giggling and he watches Tsukki burn crimson. "Your sure are persistent." 

"I'm interested," he says. There's a pause. "I'm interested in you." 

Yama crooks his neck. "Why are you? Why-who are you?" 

"That was more than one question." 

"Am I limited to one at a time?" he jokes.

"Why not."

Yama sighs and drops his chin. "Okay, why are you interested in me?"

"I'm your Guardian. It's my job."

_Job._

Something falls in Yama.

"Guardian?"

"Yes.

"Explain?"

Tsukki shakes his head. "It's my turn."

Yama just nods.

"Who hurt you?"

Tadashi swallows. He looks down and Tsukki leans to keep their eyes locked. "M-My mom..." 

Tsukki's eyes do not falter. _Intimidating._

"She was...well, I don't really know what to say about her." 

"She hurt you?" 

Yama cracks a smile, forced but it will do. "That was two questions, Tsukki." 

The boys' eyes close. "Tadashi." _What the hell..._ "Did she hurt you-"

"Yes," Yama snaps, sitting up higher in the bed, his flirtatious look vacant now as he scoots further from Tsukki but while still keeping his hand in his. "My turn, how do you know my name?" 

Tsukki stays quiet. 

"Tsukki-"

"Kei." 

Tadashi huffs. "What?" 

"My first name, it's Kei. A few weeks before you left for your trip, I was assigned to be your Guardian which means until the day I die, until the day that _you_ die, I am yours, Tadashi Yamaguchi." 

He pales. 

"M-Mine-"

"Yours." 

Silence. He wants to ask another question but it's not his turn.

"Is she alive?" 

Yama tenses. "No." 

"Why?" 

"She killed herself." 

Again, silence. Terrible, terrible silence. 

"Tadashi," he whispers, hand looping tighter around Yama's. He embraces it, welcomes his... _Guardians_ touch. 

"Guardian? W-what does that mean?" 

"It means many things I guess. My job, my only job, is to protect you." 

"Hence the bus," Yama speaks to himself. 

"Yes. You are my reason for existence." 

Yama thinks back, back to the crash. Back to the way the strangers who helped them reacted. He thinks back to...

"Tooru," he moans. "That boy?"

"Hajime."

"Were they...is that why-"

"Hajime died because Tooru died. That's how it works."

Yama whimpers. This seems to pain Tsukki.  "So...if I had died?" 

"I would have died too. Happily." 

"But...you've only been...my Guardian for...a few weeks? How-why do you feel-" 

"I have no control when it comes to you. That's what it means to be paired with a soul, what it means to be a Guardian. From the moment I fell and found you, that was it for me. This is all I've wanted since I was granted into a position of Guardianship and I would do absolutely anything for you and I would regret nothing." 

His voice is low and flat, unbothered but each word is defined. True and the impact rattles Yama as he feels his eyes sting. 

"I don't know what you're saying, I don't...know what anything of what your saying means but...it makes sense to me, I guess. I think I've had dreams about you?" 

"Dreams?" 

"Yes. Your hair," he says, reaching out, finger trailing down Kei's cheek and Tsukki's breath hitches. "Your eyes," he breathes. "I know them. I've known you." 

"That shouldn't be possible." 

"Daichi has them too. Dreams." 

"Hm." 

Yama giggles. "You're not a man of many words, are you?" 

Tsukki coughs, fighting his smile which is... _stunning_. Those eyes, the ones he knows by heart, come to greet Yama. "I will never let anyone lay a hand on you ever again." 

He can't help it, Tadashi cries, lost...confused but happy. Happy, so happy. Tsukki hooks a finger beneath Yama's eyes, wiping away his tear. "The others? Are...Hinata..."

"He's alive." 

Yama pants, relieved. 

"We picked him after you passed out." 

_Embarrassed. Damn it._

"Daichi?" 

"I'm not sure. I haven't left this room since we arrived." 

Yama blushes. His lip pouts. 

"Tooru." 

The air stiffens. "I'm sorry." 

Yama sniffles and nods. "I know." He looks to Kei. "I am too. Your friend-"

"My brother." 

His heart crushes in on itself. "My brother too." 

They silent after that, hand in hand until Yama scoots over on the bed.

Tsukki stares confused. 

"Come here." 

Kei doesn't move. 

"I'm tired. You're the reason I've been able to sleep for the past few weeks." 

_The dreams._

Tsukki understands. He stands and Yama once again gawks at his height. Tall, so incredibly tall. Tsukki lays beside Yama, long arm around his neck and Yama doesn't hesitate to curl into the mans chest and...

_Oh._

Lord, he's firm. Safe. 

"Safe," he whispers.

Tsukki only hums. 

They fall asleep in this way. 

_Safe._

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.  
> I think it hit me today just how long I plan to make this story like...guys, it will probably be the longest thing I write which is funny due to the fact that at first I HATED this story and now I just want to write all of them in cute ass situations and write about their lives together. 
> 
> I think I might split it up into parts and cut this one off at 25/30 chapters, and then cut off into parts and focus on each couple? So tell me if you like that idea and if you'd want to see that! 
> 
> Yeah.  
> Okay, I'm done ranting now. You're all awesome and I can't thank you enough for your comments and critiques and reviews and...UGH. Best fandom. Seriously.

Daichi is a tough guy, or at least that's what he tries to tell himself after waking up with the headache from hell. There is pain everywhere, not physical injuries, no, only the scar that litters down his neck- _OH_ \- those...those are stitches. Okay, that's far more serious than he expected. He tries to count them, stopping at twenty-six, too scared to reach the last stitch. He doesn't want to know, he doesn't want to know anything except where his friends are, if anyone else was injured, he wants to know where...

Silver.

He closes his eyes as the face rolls through his head, image laying flat against his tongue as, _damn him,_ he battles with the gleeful, cheeky smile threatening to crack across his face. 

What is your name? 

The boy he's had far too many dreams about, dreams that involve talks that seem to last for centuries. Dreams that leave him shaking, wet, cock erect. Dreams that leave him begging for the touch by a man whom until the day of the crash, he had never met; a man he had only dared to imagine meeting in the flesh but once he did, there was nothing left for Daichi to dream about. This man was flawless, shimmering in the way no mortal could attempt to be; skin pellucid, eyes extraterrestrial, hair the color of snapped lightening. He was more than could be drawn or thought up, more than human minds could dare to construct but to Daichi...he was familiar, so familiar that it was almost sickening. There was nothing about the man that felt foreign or strange.

No, Daichi had never felt as comfortable with another person in his life. Sure, he's close to the guys; they're his family, his world but this man, this man existed on an entirely different plane. He existed in the way that Tooru believes in UFO's, as something possibly to be truth while most likely being nothing but make believe.  But that day on the bus, as he stared at the hair, as he woke to the view of this man holding in him his lap, of the feeling of his gentle hands on Daichi's face...

Daichi had been converted. 

He now believed in aliens. 

The door to his left cracks open slowly, the soft voice of the nurse peeping in as she goes about her regular procedures; telling Daichi once again that she has no new updates on his friends, that his blood pressure is back to normal, asking how his headache is feeling and if he needs more morphine. 

There are no new updates. 

Thank god his blood pressure has settled. 

His headache is still terrible. 

And yes. Always yes to the morphine. 

The nurse, Aki, walks to leave before she turns back fast on the balls of her feet. "I almost forgot, there's a boy who's been waiting for you out here to wake up, silver hair?" Daichi trembles. "May I send him-"

"Yes!" _Calm down, Daichi, shit._ "Y-Yes. Please," he says smiling after watching the nice nurse jump at his quick reaction.

She blushes and nods, opening the door wider and here enters his dream man; he's tired, it's obvious and Daichi wants nothing more than to jump from the bed and offer it to him. But there's more to him than exhaustion and of course someone as undeniably magnificent as he couldn't be faltered by sleep deprivation. No, that would be far too easy. No, this man, even with the tight mask of exhaustion still resembles nothing less than an acid trip dream. 

He looks to Daichi and instantly, he's smiling, the smile warm and innocent and raw. So raw, fuck, he's practically naked. He thanks the nurse then slowly, on nervous tiptoes (Thank heavens he at least has the emotion of anxiety) and with his hands deep into his pockets, walks to the bed. His eyes, chocolate-caramel-chocolate, stare only at the scar on Daichi's neck as he approaches, moaning as he nears. 

Daichi doesn't know what to expect as the man gets closer but it isn't the causal brush of the boys' fingers below the line of the scar, skin still tender and sore but nothing in Daichi would ever tell him to quit touching him. So he does, touches, below the scar, down his neck until his cold nails scrap against Daichi's chest and he can't help but pant. The boy takes notice and jumps a bit, pulling away quick but Daichi is fast to capture his hand within his own and at that, they both turn to stone. 

Still. Staring, no, gawking. Gaping. 

Beautiful. 

So fucking beautiful. 

"Y-You're better?" 

He barely owns a voice it's spoken so softly and it causes Daichi's smile to finally break from its leash. 

"I'm better." The boy hums in relief and fuck, it just about kills Daichi. "Name." He looks shocked but he smiles. "Please call me Suga." "Suga." Suga. Yes, yes, that seems right. He giggles lightly. Cute. "You've always slept a lot when sick. It was expected I-" 

"How would you know that?" 

Suga swallows dramatically. "I think you know." 

_Ah, yes. He told Suga of the dreams._

"That doesn't mean that it makes sense." 

Suga giggles, a fist to his lips to hide it. 

_Suga, you're killing me._

"No, I guess not." His voice is so light. Air, he's air. "I don't know where to begin exactly." 

"Anywhere," says Daichi as he scoots, offering Suga a seat beside him on the bed because yes, this was going to take a while and he knew it. 

Suga sighs deeply before happily taking the seat offered to him, crossing his legs, hands knotted in his lap as he drags his eyes away from Daichi. He's nervous, more nervous than Asahi at a concert and a part of him feels guilty for finally finding a flaw in this perfect sculpture of a man. There's a long time where Suga says nothing and then, it spills. Spills like milk from a cracked glass and he tells him everything, things that would make Daichi believe that this was actually Tooru speaking to him about demons and angels and whatnot, not Suga but he listens and he believes. 

He believes what Suga speaks when he explains to Daichi the name Guardian and that ever since Daichi was a child, he's watched him, protected him, loved him.

He believes Suga when he says that they were paired when Suga was the same age as Daichi and that he's only aged as quick as he has because once 'paired', as Suga had called it, his aging matches the speed of his 'soul'. Him, Daichi. 

He believes it when he tells Daichi of the time that he went to his grandparents ranch and almost drowned in the pond in their backyard...but didn't, because Suga had pulled him from the water, a memory still fresh in Daichi's mind, the question of how he got out always a constant mystery that was suddenly solved within seconds. 

He believes when Suga tells him that they 'descended' to save them from the crash because of some higher power planning to kill him and all his friends that day and that Suga would have done anything in this world to keep him alive.

He believes Suga when he tells Daichi that he knows the miracle of flight by wings longer than any airplane could reach and he believes him when he tells Daichi that this form that he knows, this human body is not Suga's true self at all. 

Why he believes this...maybe it's because of the dreams, dreams that Suga said shouldn't be possible. Maybe it's because of all the strange occurrences that have happened throughout his life. Like being saved from situations that he never should have survived, like constantly being met with death but never quite shaking his hand. Like healing from injuries far faster than any human should, like knowing somewhere deep down that he was never alone, that there were always eyes on him...watching. 

Cautiously prepared to protect him from any danger that could ever be presented. 

When Suga stops leaking, he's out of breathe, as is Daichi and neither of them know what to say next. 

_Say anything, Daichi. You can't really be this calm, can you?_

"You're...handling all of this far better than expected..." 

Daichi looks up at Suga and grins. "I'm imploding on the inside." 

"Well, you're one beautiful explosion, there, Daichi Sawamura."

And that...that seals it. 

"It's true, it's all true, isn't it?"

Suga's lips part. "I would never lie to you." 

"I know," he answers true and fast. "You're not hurt?" 

Suga shakes his head, strands of lightening shaking with it. 

"But you can, right? Be hurt...in this form?" 

"Oh yes." 

"So if something were to happen to me?" 

"I would not receive the same injuries as you, obviously," he jokes, gesturing to the stitches. "But if you were to die," Suga speaks, voice dipped in agony. "I would die too." 

"W-What-"

"Yes."

"That's awful." 

Suga grins and places his palm flat against Daichi's chest, right above his heart. "That's being a Guardian." 

"How are you okay with that?" 

"Because I love you more than I could ever possibly love myself." Daichi turns to ash beneath his flesh. "My reason for being is you. There is nothing else, no one else. This is why I was created, why I breathe air. I am grateful for you, and I happy to give my life in exchange for yours-"

" _No,_ " spits Daichi. "No, you need value-"

"I have it," Suga answers confused. "Being alive is valuable, of course, but I am only alive because you are. If you were not to be born, then neither would I have been." 

Suga's words come out as smooth as silk, easy, as if repeated and understood as clear as the day turns to night and Daichi is far past confused.

"I know this is a lot and...if the circumstances were different...I would have never revealed myself to you and I do apologize-" 

"Stop." He almost screams and Suga flinches. Daichi hates himself for that. "I-yeah, the crash was awful and traumatic but are you saying that if it never happened, if the _higher ups_ as you called them, never decided that we needed to be _tested_ , that you would have never spoken a word to me?" 

Suga sags. "No. I would not have." 

"Why, Suga?" 

He watches his Guardian melt as his name rolls from Daichi's tongue and...ah, how it sparks something monstrous within Daichi. 

"Why?" 

"Because this is not knowledge that is to ever be expressed. It-this is forbidden. I am only being allowed to speak what I am saying to you because this is all part of the defense." 

"Defense?" 

"The defense to convince the higher ups that you deserve to live, Daichi!" Suga leaps to his feet, frustrated. He runs jumpy hands through that stormy hair. "When we descend, we change. We become one of you, because apart of the defense is to see that if we as Guardians, could still do our jobs even without the assistance of our abilities. But this is a two way street. We cannot save you unless you feel the need to save yourself and if the higher ups believe that our souls no longer wish to live...well, you saw what happens-" 

"So...wait, let me get this straight. Your _bosses_ tried to murder us because we might all be a little depressed-" 

"Tobio-"

"Tobio had a valid reason, his feelings are not something to be punished by death, you have got to be kidding me, Suga!"

"Daichi, I didn't decided anything! I fought them, with my position, I fought them! I fell, I'm here!"

"Your position-"

"As Chancellor. I risked everything!" 

Suga walks across the room, opens the door and leans, only to pop back in holding a dark brown satchel. He comes back to the bed, opening the bag and spilling six vanilla files onto the bed, stuffed to the brim with papers.

"What the hell are these-"

"Your files." 

Suga rummages through the files. 

Daichi catches the name. 

"Tadashi Yamaguchi. Victim of violent Physical Abuse and Trauma, inflicted by the Soul's mother, Marge Yamaguchi. Explicit thoughts of Suicide by shotgun-" 

"Stop-"

But he doesn't. Suga grabs another file. "Asahi Azumane. Victim of severe Anxiety and heavy Depression. Suffers from Panic induced episodes resulting in Self Harm." _What?_ Another file. "Tobio Kageyama. Born with Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Suffers from Extreme Depression and thoughts of Suicide. Attempted Suicide by means of blade on August 11th-"

"SUGA, STOP! STOP!" 

Suga does. He freezes...he realizes. His eyes water and he drops the file. Daichi curls into a ball on the bed. 

_Asahi...why...._

"He never said anything to me..."

"Noya says that Asahi is very-"

"Private." 

Suga nods and falls into the chair at the foot of Daichi's bed. "I'm sorry," whispers Suga. Now it's Daichi's turn to nod. 

"I wasn't blaming you, Suga, I'm just-angry." 

"I know." 

Silence. 

Break the ice. 

"So..."

Suga looks to him. 

"How much....did you watch me?" he asks grinning and he's worried Suga might burst from embarrassment. 

They both start to laugh. 

Daichi doesn't need morphine anymore. 

***

Daichi's laughing and he's beautiful. 

Oh, how Suga loves to watch him laugh but as they do...

_Tell him. Tell him before he finds out from someone else._

_Hajime._

But they only laugh harder and Suga says nothing about Oikawa. 


	20. Chapter 20

Kuroo is a giant heap of sticky sweat as he and Kenma battle stares. Kenma, as usual, is stoic and fuck, how it aggravates Kuroo...while also driving him absolutely insane in all the ways that it shouldn't. Kenma's eyes, gold and honey drenched, burn perfect holes into Kuroo's sharp ones, eyes made or charcoal as he waits for Kenma to say something, anything. 

But what is he supposed to say? How does Kuroo expect him to react after telling him what he has told him?

He should be scared, shouldn't he? Worried? Panicked? He should be shaking, asking questions, curiously distraught maybe but no...of course no, not Kenma because Kenma is unlike anyone Kuroo could ever conjure up in his head. Kenma is quiet, small but never fragile, even though he sure plays the part to perfection. He's intimate, in the way that his body likes to coil, in the way that everything he feels is unreadable, in the way that his eyes seem to know things even the higher ups couldn't dream of having knowledge of, and in the way that he seems to be able to read Kuroo as if he was standing before the small boy naked; bones and nerves and ideas, hopes and dreams, all easily deciphered by Kenma by simply...staring. 

Kuroo gulps. 

_God, why is he so damn stoic?_

Kenma looks....content, as if the information Kuroo just dropped onto him like a two ton weight wasn't suffocating the small boy and the longer Kenma stares, occasionally licking his lips as his eyes scan over Kuroo's face...the more it causes sweat to dampen Kuroo's spine. 

He dares to clear his throat. 

Kenma's eyes widen, only slightly, at this action. 

Kuroo's lips part but he says nothing. 

Kenma sighs. "Hungry." 

Kuroo is officially ready to slap his soul. _HUNGRY?_ He tries to piece together his thoughts, tries not to scream... _calm, Kuroo, calm. Like Kenma._ "W-What-"

"How did you learn about the bus system so quickly?" 

Kuroo tosses his hands in the air. "I thought you were hungry-"

"I was. It passed." 

"For fucks sake-" 

"You've only been here for a few weeks...that's not much time..." 

Kenma rubs his chin. _Snarky little shit. "_ I was briefed...by Suga and a few of the others. They've been at this far longer than I have." 

"Hm." 

"Hm?" 

"I'm curious." 

"Well, thank God-"

"What's it like...having wings?" 

"My wings." 

Kenma nods. "Are they heavy?" 

"Um...well, mine aren't as heavy as some. Like Suga or Hinata. Theirs are...wow." 

"Why are theirs bigger?" 

"They've been Guardians longer."

"Why...why haven't you always been with me?" 

_Ouch._

"I ask myself that everyday, Kenma." 

"Were you-" he stops himself and Kuroo leans in closer. "Are you-disappointed?" 

Kuroo grows feral. "Disappointed?" 

"In me. _With_ me, as...yeah." 

Kuroo moves for Kenma, hands snatching his small bony fingers. "Kenma, if I ever hear you say that again..." Kuroo takes a deep breath. "I was....captivated...from the moment I found you." 

Finally,  _finally_ , Kenma looks puzzled. 

"My life is your life. I-I didn't really believe in all of it, all of the stories. I never listened to Hinata talk about your friend, Tobio, I never wanted to be a Guardian. I hated the idea of it all, it felt arbitrary but...it's all true. It was instantaneous. When I saw you, all my expectations of who my soul would be were obliterated because you, Kenma, are magnificent in ways I can't begin to comprehend." 

_Yes. Puzzled._

"Does that answer your question?"

After some time and a wiggle of his pointed nose, Kenma nods. "What happens now?" 

"Now?" 

"You did what you were supposed to do, you saved us. What now?" 

"Well, we'll probably have a trial. Not you but...us, the Guardians. With the higher ups, they'll want a report." 

"Will you...be okay?" 

Kuroo heats, blushes. "Yes. I'll be just fine." 

"Will you leave me?" 

_Oh..._

"No. Never, I'll always be with you." 

Kenma looks down. "Good," he mumbles and Kuroo grins. "You're handsome." 

Kuroo coughs. His cheeks melt from his face, "I-um, ha. Yeah, you...you too...are-" he stops. He looks directly into Kenma. "You're exquisite." 

The world seems to cease from rotating at that moment. Kenma is...panting, but lightly. So very Kenma. His cheeks inflate as he forces himself to keep his eyes on Kuroo's and Kuroo, fuck, he's exploding, nerves dancing beneath his flesh as his grip on Kenma's hands grows fiercer, dependent. 

"You care about me," Kenma finally speaks. 

 _Oh, Kenma, you have no idea._ "Very much." 

"I-I want to care about you too." 

Kuroo can't help but chuckle. "I would like that more than you could ever know."

Kenma hums then leans back against the bed. "Rice?" 

Kuroo squints. "R-Rice?" 

"Have you had rice?" 

Kuroo loses it, laughing into his hand. "Kenma, after everything I just told you. About being your Guardian, about all the things I've learned about you, about how I-I feel...the thing you're curious about is if I've tried rice or not-"

"Have you?" 

"NO!" 

"I'm hungry again." 

Kuroo drops his chin to his chest. He huffs. "You want rice." 

"I want rice." 

The Guardian nods, annoyed as he digs his teeth into his bottom before snapping and turning for the door but-

"Tooru." Kuroo stops, back turned to Kenma as he shatters at the crack that feels the timid boys voice. "T-Tooru, he..." 

Kuroo doesn't finish Kenma sentence. He knows Kenma is smart, Kuroo knows that Kenma knows. He slowly turns, to see Kenma now sitting on the edge of the bed, small legs, bruised with small scars splashed along his skin hanging over the side and Kuroo winces. He faces Kenma, taking a step before he watches tears fall from Kenma's eyes, his face still as stoic as before and Kuroo can barely continue to stand as his legs fall weak beneath him. 

He moves for Kenma in a flash after that, scooping the small boy into his arms right as Kenma crumbles against his chest. His small hands are quick to claw at Kuroo's chest, shirt wadded between his fists as he cries into Kuroo. The Guardian goes back to his seat by Kenma's bed, Kenma curled into his lap, breath heavy as he wails. "It's okay," he whispers into Kenma's beautiful but greasy hair. "I'm here now. I'll always be here." 

That seems to make Kenma cry harder but the shaking stops and Kenma lifts his face to nuzzle into Kuroo's neck. The Guardian quivers at the touch, at Kenma's soft breath against his skin, at the warmth his tears leave. Kuroo cards his hands through Kenma's hair, keeping him as close to his chest as he can, happy to cradle Kenma in his arms. 

Arms that were meant to protect him and him alone. 

They stay that way and Kuroo, dozing as he finally leans back his head to rest on the mattress, is fine with the sensation of Kenma being so close to him. He memorizes everything about his soul, the smell, the feeling, the frame, the structure and he realizes how much control this small boy has over him....just how much he would be willing to commit for him. 

"I would do whatever you needed from me Kenma," he slurs soft as he leans to find that Kenma is asleep. He kisses the top of his head. "I am here for no one but you..." 

They both fall asleep curled against each other. 

Kuroo falls asleep smiling. 


	21. Chapter 21

The nurse stitches up the last of Tanaka's scar and all Yachi can do is watch, watch in complete awe as he takes the pain as if there wasn't a scar on his body but...she has to admit, it makes sense after the information that he so nonchalantly informed her of. 

Did she really believe in all of this? Guardian angels? Was she foolish enough to believe him so easily?

But then she thinks to the crash. She thinks of how they all reacted, how he treated her. She thinks back to the things he told her; about all the times he watched her with Aone, about all the times he saved her without her knowledge and about how he knew things that no one else could have known. 

Tanaka knew things that Yachi would never dare to tell anyone, even Tobio. He knew about when she tried to overdose on pain killers after Aone had beat her in their bedroom, until her eyes swelled and her jaw ached. He knew of when he had left her on the side of the road to walk home after she had confronted him about the way he had spoke to her in front of her parents. He knew about all the times that she cried in the laundry room at work and about how protective Asahi was of her, about all the times Tobio had let her sleep on his bedroom floor. 

Her knew that Aone was a man built by brute force, held together by an anger Yachi only learned about after they became engaged. About how Yachi isn't in love with Aone anymore, and that she hasn't been for a very long time. 

They continue to watch each other, the old nurse awkwardly bouncing on her heels as she pulls the last stitch through and slaps Tanaka's knee. "Alright, all set." She sticks him with a bandage and a bottle of pills. "Take this if it starts hurting, yes?" 

"Of course." He doesn't look far from Yachi. "Thank you." 

"No problem, kid. You two behave now, I'm going to get your release papers." 

She leaves without another word, slamming the heavy door behind her. 

Yachi holds her ground. 

_Reality, Yachi. you live in reality. Don't be foolish._

She crosses her legs and points her chin. "You're a stalker." 

Tanaka grins. "I guess.' 

"So you admit it?" 

"I know better than to try to change your mind once it's made." 

"You know nothing about me-"

"Oh, I think I proved you wrong there." 

"I'll tell the police. you probably have a shed somewhere, creepy pictures of me plastered everywhere." 

"You were so much nicer on the bus, love." 

"See, you don't know me at all. I'm not nice-"

"You are kind in ways you don't let people see. I was just as shocked to see you so...peaceful." 

"Peaceful," she scoffs and Tanaka laughs. "Birth-" 

"September 4th." 

Yachi points to her elbow. "This scar-"

"You fell at recess in fourth grade, you tried jumping for the monkey bars but missed, broke your elbow. Fourteen stitches." 

_Okay...maybe..._

"When did Aone and I-" 

"You met at a game." Tanaka looks down. "He was licking his lips from across the gym as he watched you. You liked that he was tall. Big. You felt...safe," he growls the last word. "He asked if you wanted a water, you said yes. You walked together. He tried to kiss you." Tanaka laughs. "You slapped him. I was proud of you." 

Yachi feels tears in her eyes. 

"You went out two days later. He took you to a seafood restaurant. He didn't ask if you liked seafood. You don't. You hate the texture. He ordered a beer with a fake I.D. You didn't like that but...you said nothing. He held your hand. You liked how big his hands were," Tanaka whispers, looking down at his own hands. "Y-"

"Stop," she moans. 

Tanaka gasps and moves to his feet as she starts to cry. He kneels before her. "No, no." He hooks a finger beneath her tear. "None of that, love." He cleans the make-up that washes down her cheek. "You're far too beautiful for that." 

He lifts her chin. She sniffs. "It's all true." 

He nods. "I am no liar." 

"It's...true." 

"Yes." 

"How? 

"I don't know how to answer that. I don't know how else to explain my own existence." 

"An existence...all because of me?" 

"Yes." 

Yachi pulls from his touch...rather reluctantly, she must add. "How many times?" 

His head tilts. _Those eyes._ "I don't understand." 

"How many times have you saved me? From him?" 

Tanaka sighs through his teeth. "Not as many as I would have liked."

"That day...I saw you." 

"I was sloppy." He looks back to her, hand brushing back her bangs and Yachi shivers. "I'm sorry. I-I always...wanted to do more for you. But there are rules. Limits to what I can do..." 

"But...you've done so much," she whispers. 

She believes him.

She always believed him. 

Yachi leans her forehead against him and Tanaka sucks in a startled breath. His hands move to cup her cheeks, thumbs rubbing against her cheeks and his touch, it's intoxicating. Immense. Sensitive. His eyes slide up to hers. She wraps her hands around his wrists. He kisses her knuckles before he drops his chin and stands, her hands falling into her lap. 

"You're engaged." 

Yachi pouts. 

"I-as much as I want that son of a bitch gone...I-I can't-" 

"You couldn't be with me anyways..." 

Knees slamming back to the floor before her, Tanaka's voice hardens. "I will _always_ be with you, Hitoka." His eyes close. "I-I don't know what's going to happen next." 

"You said...you have to go back." 

"I do." 

She hums. 

"But...I'll have a choice." 

Yachi's bow bends. "A choice?" 

"I can stay. Here, like this." 

"H-Human."

"Yes." She opens her mouth, but he continues. "But...I don't think I can. Not because I don't wish to be human but...because as a Guardian, I can do more. I can keep you safe in ways that I couldn't as a human." 

Yachi nods, heart constricted. 

"D-Do you understand?" 

"But, could I still see you?" 

Tanaka pales. "No. Not really." 

"I could never ask you to give up everything you are."

Tanaka smiles. "You could ask anything of me and I would do it." 

she smirks. "Is that supposed to be some sort of loophole?" 

Tanaka winks. 

Yachi shakes her head. She sighs and wipes at her stupid tears. "I-I need to go check on my friends." 

"I know." 

"C-Can we just-" Yachi stops. "Can we stay like this? Just a while longer?" 

They're close. Her breath she knows is hot, frantic, scattered. Tanaka nods and stands, bringing her to her feet before she tosses her arms around his neck. Broad, he's so incredible strong. She digs her nails into his neck and Tanaka nuzzles into her shoulder, losing himself in her fine hair and she loves the way their bodies connect. Every part has a place and they fit like a puzzle. Tanaka wraps around her like a rope, hands folding to hold at her sides as he squeezes her breathless but she doesn't dare complain. She never felt this way with Aone. Comfortable. Relaxed. She swims in it, the feelings brewing in her gut for Tanaka, the things she pictures for them, the ways she could see herself falling for him...loving him. 

Loving him.

Loving him would be fun, easy. 

They stay that way far longer than planned. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS, QUICK UPDATE: 
> 
> SO. I went back and pretty much edited this entire story. I'm still working on that a little bit but I realized that I was slacking in the continuity department (Thank you to my readers for pointing out my flaws, I love you for it. This is no joke.) So I'm hoping it reads a bit better now and I apologize. I usually write these things at 4a.m. and I am prone to mess ups. (Ha-Ha, my life in a sentence.)
> 
> Anyways, if you want to go back and read, do so but if not I understand!  
> Some things I fixed: 
> 
> -Iwa was already a Guardian, he did not fall with Tsukki and Kuroo.   
> -I fixed some of the timeline.   
> -I fixed how Kageyama tried to commit suicide in the beginning.   
> -I made Tsukki/Yama and Kuroo/Kenma's sections make more sense.   
> -I tried to take into account all of the injuries.   
> -Typos. I type too fast, I apologize. 
> 
> Again, PLEASE, tell me if you see things that need fixing! I love you for it. For real. <3 Much love, always!

He can't seem to stop looking at his hands.

He knew he had hurt them when climbing back into the bus after the window broke. He knew he had done further damage when holding Noya back once the bus dropped but looking now, he worries if he'll be able to play volleyball again. 

Noya is asleep, curled into a wad on the small couch across from the bed Asahi now heals on. That's another thing he can't stop staring at; Noya, the boy with hair as soft as the sky, Asahi guesses, and eyes that know him in ways that intimidates Asahi. Noya had told him everything he needed to hear, about who he was and why he was there. About how long he had been his Guardian, about all the times they had shared together without Asahi's knowledge...about all the times he had helped him through things without ever realizing it and as he thinks back to their long, long conversation, all he wants to do is hide his face in his hands while he grunts at his silly injuries. 

He doesn't know whether he's a fool or a genius for believing in the things Noya had confessed to him, things that according to Noya, are not supposed to be spoken of or admitted. But Noya, as it was obvious, was furious. Furious with what Noya had called the 'higher ups', furious with the way things occurred, furious with the system of things; a system Asahi didn't think he would ever fully understand but also didn't exactly wish to. 

He liked the dark, he lived within this darkness for his entire life. He wasn't ready to leave just yet. 

_Darkness._

Darkness...

He thinks of Tooru. He thinks of Noya's face when he heard about his friend. They had both lost a brother, another thing that they now shared in common. Another thing to bond them tighter than they already were. 

Asahi was not one to believe in fate, due to the many times over the years that therapists had told him that his mom leaving he and his father was 'destiny'. That it was supposed to happen but Azumane could never believe that. How could he believe that growing up without a mother was the way things were supposed to happen? Why him? Why his mother; the mother that was tired of her husband, her child, her life. The mother that preferred the taste of cheap whiskey over the want to kiss her own child goodnight. The mother that came home from mens houses smelling of sweat and semen. He understood where those therapists were coming from, his mother was a smoking train wreck, a natural disaster that at any moment could have taken his life away from him. But destiny was supposed for work you, not against you, wasn't it? 

He had told Noya of his mother...something Asahi has never truly shared with anyone, amongst many other things, for Asahi was private in a magnitude of ways. Always a boy with the height that could terrifying mountains, false assumptions were something that Asahi was accustomed to so from an early age, he decided staying to himself was best. It was best, that was until he met Daichi, who opened him up to a world he never thought to branch into. He showed him the world of volleyball and sports, fitness and healthy eating. He showed him all the techniques, helped him to decided what position would be best for him, for his height, which for the first time in Asahi's life, was a positive rather than a negative and Azumane was happy. Daichi then led him further into the world, he led him to Kenma who led them both to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi led them to Oikawa and with Oikawa, Tobio and Yachi and by the time he knew it, he wasn't alone. He had a family in the blink of an eye and-

His family. 

He looks down again... _Tooru_. 

There would be a funeral, he knew. Asahi has never been to a funeral. What would he wear? Maybe one of his fathers suits. His father knows how to dress. His father isn't as tall as he though, he would never fit...

Asahi feels himself cracking. 

_Noya._

A funeral. Asahi hates graveyards, hates ghost stories, hates haunted houses, hates movies about exorcisms, hates the church...Tooru wasn't religious. Maybe he would be cremated. What would it be like to be cremated? Does it hurt, would be feel it? No, of course he wouldn't because Tooru was dead. 

_Noya._

His father doesn't like to leave the house, he barely makes it to work. His father would never go with him to the funeral. But this wasn't something Asahi could do alone. 

His spine burns. He's sweating. 

_Noya, Noya, help me._

He can't breathe. 

Tooru wouldn't feel the fire if he was cremated, he-

"Asahi!" he hears a voice call faintly over the blood slamming in his eardrums. Small hands cup his cheeks. "Come back to me!" _Oh_ , that was clearer. Gentle. Safe. "Asahi, please, listen to my voice, come back!" _I want to. I want to come back._ "I'm right here, baby." _Noya._ "I'm right here." _Noya._ A forehead rests against his own. _Noya, Noya, Noya._ Asahi looks into bulbs of caramel. "There you go. I'm right here," he whispers now, smile widening and Lord, it's breathtaking, Noya, he's breathtaking. "Breathe, deep now. Breathe with me."

Asahi watches Noya, follows his movements, his breathing. Asahi's heart beat begins to settle. He feels the color come back to his face. Noya sees it too. He's smiling, teeth clean as they bite into his lip. 

Asahi's eyes falls to Noya's lips. 

He's never had the urge to kiss anyone, or at least when he did, he found it almost impossible to ever act upon it. Asahi has never been one for sexual encounters, he's shy...awkward, but Noya did something to him. For Noya, Asahi burns and as he finally comes out of his fog, he's moving for those lips before he can think it over and luckily, Noya has no arguments about the action as his arms are snaked around Asahi's neck within seconds. Deep, their kiss is deep as they move against each other. The way Noya uses his tongue is enticing, thrilling, tempting as thoughts rush to Asahi's mind about what he would want Noya to do with that tongue, all the places he wanted that tongue to taste-

_Who are you?_

Asahi pulls away, leaving Noya gasping and desperate. Asahi is wide eyed as he stares back at Noya, who seems to refuse opening his eyes. He explores the boys face, explores his cheekbones, his jaw, the small dip in his nose, the colors of his hair before Noya finally peeks through his lashes up at Asahi and fuck him, it's enough to turn his heart to jello.

This masterpiece sits quietly in Asahi as he waits, patient.

He's so patient with Asahi.

It's because he knows Asahi probably better than he knows himself. 

Noya huffs a small moan. "Better?" 

Asahi is caught off guard. He can only nod. 

This makes Noya smile. "I'm glad," he says, resting his head against Asahi's chest. He gulps. Noya's hand coil into his hospital gown. "You scared me for a second there," he giggles.

"S-Sorry-"

The Guardian slaps his chest. "Don't you dare apologize to me, ever, you big goof," jokes Noya and Asahi tries to smile through his tears. Noya lifts his eyes up to Asahi's. _Hm, caramel._ "Do I need to call a nurse? Are you hurting?" 

Asahi shakes his head. 

"Hungry?" 

He hesitates. He nods. 

"Yeah, I knew I was getting close," jabs Noya, quickly pecking Asahi's cheek before moving back to his feet. 

And then Asahi realizes it...he blushes hard.

"Are you wearing my shirt?" 

Noya stops, back turned before scratching his head and laughing nervously. "Don't be mad?" He looks over his shoulder at Asahi. "Mine was ripped pretty bad and..I was cold. I-I can take it off if-"

"No!" Noya smirks, cheeks pink. "No, it-it feels-"

"Right..." hums Noya, tugging at the bottom of the shirt. "It feels right, wearing your clothes." 

Asahi can agree. It does feel right.

Their eyes are glued as they stare into each other, down deep into places no one else is allowed and its as though Asahi can feel Noya shoveling through him. This, under any other circumstance, would make Asahi blatantly uncomfortable but with Noya nothing is uncomfortable because he and Noya are practically of the same mold. 

Asahi's skin feels hot. Noya stands on his tiptoes as he looks around the room anxiously. They're both thinking the same thing, wanting the same thing; a thing Asahi has never really wanted from another person before in his entire life.

But...

This is not the time, not yet.

 "I-I want to know things," he finally says and Noya's breath catches. 

"What? I-I told you everything-"

"No, not about that. I will want to know more eventually but not now. I'm not ready." 

Noya looks to him confused before walking back to the bed. "Then what do you want to know?" 

"You. I-I want to know you." 

Noya seems astonished. It's a cute look on him. He takes up a spot on the bed beside Asahi. Close. Very close but not close enough so Asahi inches nearer and this makes Noya very happy. "I'll tell you anything you. I would never keep anything from you." 

Asahi knows this. "How long....have you been, you know in love...with me?" 

Noya smiles, tongue swiping long his lips. "Since day one." 

"Day one-" 

"You were looking at buildings with your dad, for the nursing home." Asahi remembers that day. It was freezing. "You were freezing. He gave you his jacket and it was huge on you, which is funny now," snarks Noya as his eyes wander up Asahi's body and he colors red. "You were wearing those blue converse, the ones-"

"The ones my mother bought me the day before she left," he whispers. 

Noya nods. "Your hair was shorter, all choppy. You were so timid, you still are but back then, it was hypnotizing. Watching you, for me, is hypnotizing. You guys finally went to check out this building and there was an old white rocking chair out front." Asahi remembers this as well. "You sat down and...well-"

Asahi tosses his head back. "The paint."

"The paint," they both laugh at the memory, of Asahi not realizing the chair had just recently been painted. "He ended up buying the building because of that." 

Asahi nods and looks down at his lap. _God, it is true. All of it._

"You didn't believe me before, did you?" 

"I-"

"I know you, I know that look. It just hit you." 

Asahi rolls his eyes. This boy will be the death of him, he's sure of it. 

"I would never expect you to be okay with-" Noya gestures to himself. "All of this right away. I would be worried if you were."

"You make it easy," Asahi mutters, unaware that he said that out loud until he looks up to see Noya's shocked expression.

_Ugh. Cute._

_"S-"_

Theres a finger on his lips. "Nope. No sorry's." 

Asahi nods in agreement. Noya's finger turns into a hand as his Guardian cups a palm against his cheek. He leans into Noya's touch. "I-I was wondering if you would do something for me?" 

Noya's lips part. "Anything in the world." 

Asahi lets that set in before he speaks. "W-Would you come to the funeral with me? Tooru's? I don't think I can go without y-you." 

Noya extends onto his knees crawling, crawling until his legs fold around Asahi's waist as he sinks into his lap. "Of course I will," he says, hugging Asahi with his entire body. 

"Hm, you're so comfortable," responds Asahi as he rests into the Guardian's shoulder. "Where have you been-" 

"Here," whines Noya and the crack in his voice is enough to shatter the bones in Asahi's body. "I've always been right here, waiting...loving you." Asahi closes his eyes. "I've always been with you, Asahi. I just....we had to be careful-" 

"But Tobio-" 

"Hinata screwed up, royally, and we're still crossing our fingers in the hopes that the higher ups don't find out but...believe me, there were times I was so close to showing myself to you." Noya leans back, but not far, just to match Asahi's eyes. "I hated watching you hurt yourself." Asahi goes limp. "I wanted to stop you but...I was scared, I didn't want to get in trouble and I knew that if I did show myself, I would have never been able to leave you again." Noya's chin drops as Asahi realizes that he's crying and it kills him. Asahi lifts Noya's chin, waiting a moment before kissing the side of his mouth, his cheek, his nose. Noya sighs. "You are my world, Azumane. Please believe me. Please, I would do anything in the world for you but-" 

"Noya," he says, cupping the boys face between his hands. "It's okay. From what you've told me...you've helped me in more ways than I could ever repay you for." He kisses Noya's cheek. "Please, don't cry...it kills me." 

Noya sniffles and wipes at his face, Asahi helping him and the smile he's granted warms Asahi all over. 

Noya groans and shakes his head, placing his hands flat against Asahi's chest. "You were hungry." 

Asahi grins. "I was." 

"Are you still?" Asahi shrugs his shoulders. "That's a yes." 

Noya, after giving Asahi one last kiss, leaps from the bed. He moves for the door, smiling back at him before he leaves. Asahi tries to wait, tries to keep his eyes from closing but he's content and happy and asleep before Noya can return with his rice. 


	23. Chapter 23

For the third night in a row, Hinata was sneaking into Tobio's hospital room. As usual, Tobio lay asleep, a bandage wrapped tight around his skill, another taped around his waist. There was no internal bleeding, only a bruise that was said to take about a month to heal and Hinata had cried when he had heard. Hair sprawled over his eyes, Hinata is smiling as he approaches the hospital bed, his spot ready for him as he slips out of his shoes and curls up beside Tobio, juts as he had done for the past three nights. 

Tobio slept when Hinata was around, he slept hard and long, something sadly unusual for Tobio and Hinata was more than happy to be of assistance. He snuggles close to Tobio, swimming laps in the smell of his cologne as he nuzzles his nose into the crook of Tobio's neck. His skin is muggy, sticky, for the heater in this hospital burns hotter than the sun most nights but Hinata would never care. To simply touch Tobio was the best gift that he could ever hope to receive; a little sweat wasn't going to keep him away from Tobio for anything. 

His arm loops over Tobio's chest and at that, his soul stirs and Hinata curses under his breath. "You smell like taco's," groans Tobio with a small smirk. Nothing too large but equally as stunning. 

Hinata eats his bottom lip. "I'm sorry I woke you, go back to sleep-"

"No," moans Tobio as he shifts on the bed, turning to face Hinata, coiling his hands around Hinata's small ones. Shouyou kisses the backs of Tobio's hands. "What took you so long?" 

Hinata chuckles. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I keep you waiting?" 

"You did, yes," Tobio bites, lifting his head to kiss down Hinata's nose and the Guardian liquifies. "I missed you." 

Hinata's eyes flutter closed as he pushes his small frame harder against Tobio's, for they never seem to feel close enough. No amount of contact, no amount of time could ever suffice for Hinata because spending time with his soul would never feel long enough. He longed for Tobio in ways that did sinister things to his body, to his heart. He had always loved Tobio, loved him so ferociously that at times, it scared him. Worried him, for loving something too much, as he was always told by Suga, could be dangerous. 

But Hinata thinks back to watching Suga and his soul, and it's soon clear to him why he was sure to drill that fact into Hinata. 

_Suga, you hypocrite._

Fingers suddenly take gentle hold on Hinata's chin and his lips are snatched by Tobio's and Hinata concludes that he could never describe accurately the feeling of their lips together. He could never describe the sting that scurries down his spine when Tobio's tongue tastes the roof of his mouth. He could never express the moans that fill his soul when Hinata nibbles at Tobio's bottom lip, or his ear, or his neck. He could never portray how pitiful, how quick his body chooses to betray him when Tobio's hands roam over his arms, his back, his thighs...

God, he's so good at this. 

He's so good at making Hinata unravel within his hands. 

"D-Don't stop," whines Hinata and it's clear that Tobio has no intentions of doing so. 

Hinata whimpers as suddenly, Tobio has his hands at his hips, lifting the small boy to sit on top of him and Hinata loves this position, the feeling of Tobio's erection licking at him from beneath and Hinata's head drops back. Tobio runs hand up Hinata's chest, lifting the thin shirt that he stole from Noya, until Hinata's skin shimmers beneath the fluorescents and Tobio pants wildly. Hinata reaches down and picks up that hand, kissing each knuckle, long and slow, watching proudly as Tobio now unfolds beneath Hinata. His lips then move down Tobio's arm; down to the dip by his elbow, down his forearm for Lord, Hinata was addicted to his arms and his hands, down until he's practically laying flat against Tobio. 

Eyes of the purest ocean beam back at him, seductive and serious, and Hinata tilts his chin. Tobio rests a hand against his cheek. "What are you thinking about?" 

Hinata whistles. "How insanely beautiful you are," admits Hinata and Tobio just shakes his head. "No, don't you do that." Hinata forces his souls eyes to his. "Everything about you is indescribably perfect." 

"You're biased." 

"Possibly," he winks and Tobio softly slaps his cheek. "But I'm right, either way. You're everything and more." 

Tobio's smirk drops before he hauls Hinata deeper against his lap. His brows lift. 

Oh, my. 

Tobio can see what Hinata is thinking. 

"D-Don't....you drive me insane," moans Tobio, head falling beneath Hinata's chin and the Guardian plants soft kisses on the top of his head. 

"I am doing nothing-"

"Bullshit," Tobio growls and the vibration is enough to make Hinata come on the spot. Tobio' bucks his hips. Hinata gasps. "You're going to tell me you're just...sitting on my lap, for the hell of it." 

Hinata feels light headed. "Y-You put me here." 

"You didn't fight it," Tobio breathes hot into his ear and Hinata shakes his head to agree.

Hinata rolls his head to the side, neck exposed. Tobio's smirk returns. "And what of it?" Tobio's brow lifts. "What if I asked for you. What if I-"

Hinata is on his back before he has time to process a thing. Tobio, hands roped around his wrists peer down hungrily, his eyes on Hinata's body animalistic and Hinata has never felt excitement as he has in this very moment.  Tobio's adams-apple bobs in his throat as he examines Hinata, the Guardian making note of all the places his souls' eyes wander to. Tobio drags his fingers down Hinata's neck, running a single nail along his collar bone and chills attempt to pop his skin as his head shuffles back into the pillow; a pillow that smells of nothing but Tobio and it only makes Shouyou harder. 

Hinata hisses and Tobio melts. He dips down and licks behind Hinata's ear. "I would give you anything you asked of me." 

Hinata can only nod, arching his back, squirming beneath Tobio. "P-Please..." Tobio roars above him. "Please, Tobio-" 

His lips are sealed by Tobio's, tongues frantic and teeth racking as the kiss grows darker and hopeless and almost monstrous. Nails are clawing, hair is sticking, bodies are locked and nothing could make Hinata pull away as he feel Tobio's palm flatten against his cock. 

" _Fuck,_ Hinata, you're so-" 

"Shut up," he demands lifting up, pressing his chest against Tobio's as he climbs to his knees to get a better angle on Tobio's lips, to get a better view of this boy before him falling apart at the seams. But they both are, ripping apart against each other, because of each other and Hinata finds is delicious; the looks of exhaust on Tobio's face, the glaze painted over his eyes, the red line marked around his lips.

Both of Tobio's hands take control then, gripping hard onto Hinata's thighs to force his legs to wrap around his hips. Tobio is large and wet and pulsing against his chest as they grind, humping and bouncing and clinging lawlessly. Hinata can't tear from Tobio's lips and thankfully, either can Tobio as their mouths fill with the sounds of their pleasure, passing through each other in ways Hinata only dared to imagine in his dreams. Each brush of their cocks drove Hinata crazier and crazier, until he felt as though smoke was seeping from his ears. He didn't know he could feel this warm, didn't know that his body could feel these emotions at all.

But when it came to Tobio, rules were always broken and new gifts were always presented and fuck, Hinata loved this boy. 

Hinata loved with every fiber, every cell, every drop of blood that rushed through his body and he wanted Tobio to know it. He wanted to love him until it made Tobio sick. 

"T-Tobio, I don't want...I don't-" 

"I know," pants Tobio, hands cupping Hinata's cheeks now as he continues to work at his mouth, at his tongue, _with_ his tongue. "I know, I know. I-I just, I can't stop." 

Hinata sags into Tobio's arms, bones nothing more than plastic as Tobio takes a large breathe, calming himself slowly, painfully. 

Hinata must do the same. 

"I-I love you," he says and Tobio shutters, "you know I do but...I want...I want you to be sure first. I want you comfortable," he says between breaths. "I don't know what's going to happen still and I..." 

Both of them are cold now, cold from Hinata's slap of reality. But it was true. He had no idea what was to happen next, what was to become of him and his brothers. Were they to be reassigned? Were they to be banned from seeing their souls ever again? What would happen when they went back for the trial? Hinata swallows back his fear, some of it still lingering against his tongue before looking up to meet Tobio. ""I want you to completely love me first." 

That last part shocks even Hinata. 

He panics. "I-I mean, you don't...I'm not expecting you to-" 

"Stop," giggles Tobio, rolling as he slides back to the bed to rest beside Hinata. "You," he says, kissing Hinata's nose, "would never have to try convince me to try to fall in love with you. T-That started the day in the bathroom. You can't force me into something that I'm always moving towards."

Hinata bites his lips.

"And to be fair, I think a part of me has always loved you...you were the first thing I ever knew."

Hinata smiles. "Orange."

Tobio kisses his forehead. "Orange."

Their foreheads connect, their breathing slows. Tobio's eyes fall closed. "Sleep, love," whispers Hinata. "I'll be right here." 

"Don't leave." 

Hinata shakes his head and pulls Tobio to him, wrapping his small legs around Tobio's. "Never." 

He doesn't leave. Hinata would never leave. 

They fall asleep happy, lips sore. 


	24. Chapter 24

In the movies, funerals always seem glorified. Like once they happen, all your awful feelings, all the ugly tears and broken pieces of your heart vanish and instantly, you feel a sense of closure.

But no part of Tobio felt whole. No part of him feels...closed, as he stands over the hole and watches as Tooru's coffin sinks into the ground. The sounds of the lift scream, un-greased and rusted over as it drops the box down, down and Tobio wishes that he was blind again. 

He would never unsee what he saw in the church that morning as the pastor rolled in Tooru's coffin, Oikawa's cheeks embalmed and pasty, his hair combed clean and pushed behind his ears. That wasn't Tooru, Tooru was a wreck, a wreck filled with old rum and anti-depressants and that body in the box dressed up in some silly buttoned down costume did not belong to the Tooru that he had come to know over the past five years. That body was a puppet, a puppet painted to look like something it wasn't and as he remembers the sound of Tooru's mothers sob echoing throughout the church, he drops his chin and focuses on anything but the hole. 

But at least he's not alone.

No, he would never be alone again. 

Beside him: Yachi, Tanaka, Tsukki, Yama, Kenma, Kuroo, Noya, Asahi, Daichi, Suga, Akaashi and Bokuto. 

On his left side: Hinata. 

Thank the stars. 

Hinata's hand folds tight around Tobio's and he feels himself slowly anchor back into the earth as he listens to the priest recite the last few lines of some foolish prayer. 

Tooru wasn't religious. 

This is bullshit. All of this-the church-the hymns...

Tobio's teeth clench as he closes his eyes and rests his chin on his shoulder. He can feel Hinata's eyes and squeezes his Guardians hand harder. 

"May he rest now, in silence and in peace," the father whispers and like some sadistic cult, the crowd hovering around the hole repeats his words and Tobio wants nothing else but to vomit at his feet. 

He doesn't dare to look down the line. He doesn't dare to glance at Yachi, who has hold of his other hand. He doesn't dare listen to the small cries seeping from Yama's lips as he stands with his cast or watch the awkward shuffle Daichi tries to control as he stands shoulder to shoulder with his own Guardian, Suga. He doesn't look to Asahi, who's back has been turned to the casket for the entirety of the funeral, not as if Tobio could blame him. Asahi was not one who handled death well but then...did any of them, really?

He remembers something then. 

That boy, Hinata's brother...Iwa-Iwaizumi. 

_Hajime, that was it._

Hinata had refused to speak much on the topic, for Guardians losing their lives was something so rare that really, there was no protocol. So Hajime left without a moment to spare, his body diminishing back into the sky before any of them even had a chance to say their goodbyes and as he thinks the last part, Tobio looks to Hinata. He stands tall, straight, supportive and Tobio can only stare as he admires the boy in silence. 

How are you not breaking, Shouyou?

Do you need me just as much as I need you? 

He must have been staring for longer than noticed because then, his name is being called and then Hinata's hands are on his face and Yachi's arms are snaked around his waist and the funeral is over. 

Over. It's just...finished. He looks forward as already, two men with old shovels and a small tractor make their way towards the grave sight. Tooru's parents haven't moved from their spots and he can only think of how rude those men are while knowing in the back of his head that its not their faults. They're just doing their jobs. 

Because to people who did not know Tooru, this was just another day. This wasn't a day that would be engraved in everyones heads for the rest of their lives. This wasn't a day they would remember thirty years into the future and cry about on their bathroom floors. Not everyone lost a brother today. Maybe somewhere, someone did, but not everyone and it breaks Tobio's heart that so many people out there would never have the chance to meet Oikawa. 

How sad for the rest of the planet. 

Hinata tugs on Tobio's sleeve. He looks up.

 _Oh, he's alone._..but-

"We...we should go-" Hinata's eyes follow the group. "We should go with everyone, love." 

There's a pause on Tobio's part but finally he nods and hums soft. His grip on Hinata's hand grows tighter and he fears he might be hurting his Guardian but if he was in pain, Shouyou showed no sign of it. In fact, Hinata showed nothing, really. Of course, he's sad but beneath that, he's sturdy and Tobio knows that this strength is all for him.

He stops Hinata. "Thank you," he breathes. "For coming with me, thank you." 

Hinata stretches to his tiptoes and holds the back of Tobio's neck. "Always." 

Tobio fights the urge to kiss him. 

His feet finally start to free from their numbness as he and Hinata join the others by Asahi and Daichi's cars. No one says a word, no one dares to even try. They all just stare at each other, lost and speechless and raw. Yachi, once Tobio joins them, goes to him and clings to his arm, her other hand locked in Tanaka's and he wonders where Aone is. 

At least he doesn't have to ask the question. "Where's your fiance, Yachi? H-He should be here," quietly asks Bokuto and Tobio thinks it may be the quietest he's ever heard the man speak.

His fiance, Akaashi, is looped around Bokuto's arm, face smushed against his shoulder. 

Yachi goes rock hard against Tobio's side and his brow bends. "He was called overseas again." Tanaka loops an arm over her shoulder. 

"Of course," grunts Asahi timidly and Noya looks to Tanaka with...weird eyes. 

_Was he missing something?_

"Seems like a pretty terrible time to go away for work," remarks Kenma and Akaashi moans in agreement. 

"He could have said no," Daichi adds flatly and still, Tobio keeps his eyes away from the man; for if he breaks, Tobio will without a doubt be the next to crumble. 

Yachi speaks up. "Aone has always been obsessed with his job-" 

"His fiancee was in a bus accident," growls Daichi a bit louder. "His friend...his friend is dead. The least he could have-"

Suga leans over to him, head in the crook of Daichi's neck. "Settle," he whispers into Daichi's neck, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. 

Daichi responds to Suga's words. He listens. Tobio is...shocked. "Sorry, Yachi, I didn't mean-" 

"I know," she says honestly, smiling over at him.

Daichi nods with pink cheeks and it's the most alive Tobio has seen any of them in days. 

Hinata is quiet at his side and Tobio shakes his hand in his. "Hey." Hinata peers up at him, a small smile forming instantly. "What's wrong?" 

Hinata shakes his head without hesitation. "This is your time, I-I don't want to say too much. I'm just here for-" 

"No." Tobio turns to him. "I couldn't...I wouldn't be here without you." 

Hinata blushes and Kageyama's heart swells just a tad in his chest. 

_Yes, beat again, please._

"W-What-" Yama stops himself as they all look in his direction. "What do we do now?" 

"Do we go to the wake?" asks Asahi. 

"It would be polite to go," speaks Yachi. 

"It would," hums Tobio.

Again. Silence. 

Silence that lasts two lifetimes. 

"My parents," injects Kenma and Kuroo looks down at him through gelled hair. "They're out of town. The house is empty. We could have dinner there. It's big and the cooks-"

"Can cook," speaks Yama freely and Bokuto is the first to break into small giggles. 

Then...one by one...

Yachi smiles. Tanaka watches her in complete awe. (Much in the same as Hinata watches Tobio)

Asahi and Noya chuckle as they turns to Daichi and Suga who are now also smiling. 

Akaashi only grins up at his fiance as he laughs the loudest.

Yama follows suit, Tsukki still stoic beside him and Kenma only bites at his lip while Kuroo watches Suga. 

Tobio likes this, he likes them together, all of them together. 

"Tooru would have wanted this." 

Daichi agrees. "He would have kicked our asses for being so serious."

"As would have Hajime," Tsukki adds and all the Guardians look his way and smile, nodding in agreement. 

All so different. 

All so the same. 

Kuroo tilts Kenma's chin up to meet his eyes. "Lead the way, Kitten," and the pet name grants looks from Akaashi and Bokuto. 

They look to Tobio. "It's a lot to explain." 

He's not lying. 

Tobio looks down at Hinata. "Please come." 

"Of course," Hinata answers easily. 

Tobio kisses Hinata's cheek, then his forehead. They all pile into their seats, the cars stuffed with the boys in the stuffy suits. Before they leave, Tobio glances out the window. He watches the tractor begin to pile on mounds of dirt. He counts five before Asahi starts the engine. He thinks of Tooru, of where he is, of if he's happy. He imagines that he's watching them, shaking his head, making fun of their suits. He thinks of how much he hated Tooru when they first met, of how much the idiot tested him and pushed him past his limits. He thinks of how much he loves him, of how much he will always love Tooru. 

Tobio looks to the faces in the car, to Hinata. 

He thinks of how much he loves all of them, even the faces he may not know all that well yet.

Hinata kisses his neck and Tobio rests his head on Hinata's shoulder. 

He mentally marks this day in his head. 

Funerals are nothing of what they seem in the movies.


	25. Chapter 25

Kenma's house is gigantic...well, it's not his house. No, that would be his parents' house; a house built from money earned from slaving away at jobs that took their minds away from their child. Money earned over Christmas's and birthdays, money gained by loans and stocks and late nights at casino's in Vegas and as Tobio watches Kenma in the kitchen with the cooks, Yama at the counter peeling potatoes with a shorter Italian woman, their souls close by to observe, he can see the strain pulling on Kenma.

He and Yama had lived together for awhile now, for Yama's home life was worse while in different ways, and it was apparent that Kenma was more than a little unconformable here. Every move he made was tighter than the last, his eyes low beneath his bangs as he darted around the kitchen trying to help in anyway that he could. Kenma was never one who wanted to be involved in the lifestyle that his parents had built, which was why when he turned of age, he tried to escape as fast as he could.  

The cooks watched Kenma with cautious eyes, loving, appreciative and so did Kuroo, hands beneath his chin as he studied each one of Kenma's movements. Detailed, his Guardian was very detailed, almost more than Hinata in the way that Kenma is quiet and Kuroo is loud and together, they're the perfect balance. Not to say that he and Tobio aren't perfect but Kenma and his Guardian fit in a way that Tobio and Hinata didn't; Hinata is gentle to the touch, each brush of his fingers against Tobio's undeniably sensual and why Tobio could see the look of lust in Kenma's eyes growing, they weren't there yet. 

But they they would get there and when they did, Tobio knew it would be beautiful. 

Beside him sat Asahi, who was far timider than usual, his head rested on the arm that sprawled across the long counter. His eyes are closed and his cheeks are damp and on his other side, waits Noya, peaceful and patient as he waits for Asahi to collect himself. Tobio places a hand on Asahi's back. "Breathe, buddy," he mumbles, Noya winking at him as Asahi only grunts and nods his head softly. "Where's Daichi?" 

"He and Suga are in the living room, I think," answers Noya, his eyes not daring to leave Asahi for a second. 

Tobio turns to Hinata, who is also watching Kenma. "What are you thinking?" 

"You're all so...different." 

"Well," he replies, brushing a lock of orange from Hinata's eyes. "So are all of you." 

Hinata turns his chin to Tobio and smiles, kissing his palm as Tobio's hand comes to rest on his cheek. "Are you okay?" 

Tobio nods. "I will be." 

"I know," whispers Hinata. He looks over at Noya. "Maybe you should-" 

"Yeah, yeah," Noya says, already moving for his feet. The small boy reaches up and grabs both of Asahi's shoulders. "Hey," he kisses the back of Asahi's neck and to Tobio's surprise, Asahi lifts his head and peers over at Noya. "Let's go for a walk yeah?" 

"Noya-" 

"You've been laying here for an hour. All your blood is going to rush to your head and you'll explode, which will make me very mad seeing as I just saved you from a bus crash, silly," he says, forcing Asahi's eyes to his before Noya kisses Asahi's cheek lightly. 

_Patient. Very patient._

Asahi after a moment, nods and slides to his feet, dragging behind Noya as the Guardian pulls him towards the backyard. 

Tobio and Hinata chuckle, even though barely. "And then there was two." 

A grunt floats from down the bar. "Am I really that invisible?" 

Tsukki's eyes don't move to them, for they're far too occupied with the way Yama's hands are working the potatoes. 

"You're not invisible, Tsukki. Just quiet...and brooding." 

"Uh huh." 

Tobio can't fight his smile. 

Kuroo comes to take Noya's old seat. "They haven't stopped moving since we go here." 

"Yama looks tired," replies Tobio.

"Both of them," adds Hinata.

"Kenma," calls Kuroo. Kenma looks to him, eyes wider than Tobio has ever seen him look at him. "How about a break, love?" 

The Italian lady calls from across the kitchen. "Yes, child. Rest. Go, go. Both of you," she says slapping Yama's butt and Tsukki smiles. 

Kenma only shakes his head and hums. 

"You're going to pass out if you keep-"

"No."

His argument is subtle but pointed and Kuroo only shrugs his shoulders. 

Akaashi comes up behind Tobio and he's aware of just how attentive Hinata is of someone approaching Tobio from behind. It makes him blush. "Bokuto is with Daichi." 

"Suga?" asks Tsukki. 

"Oh he's there too. He's...interrogating."

"Oh great," laughs Yama from the kitchen and a audible sigh can be heard from Tsukki. 

"That boy," scolds Tobio. "Protective as hell, that one." Hinata grins, biting at his lips. "hope he doesn't scare Suga too bad." 

Hinata's laugh breaks through his lips. "Suga might seem like a mother hen, love, but there is no one scarier." 

"Hinata-"

"He's not kidding," adds Kuroo and Kenma actually joins the conversation. "He's not Chancellor of the Guardians for nothing." 

"What is that?" asks Akaashi and Tobio coughs. 

"N-Nothing," stammers Yama, turning back to his potatoes. 

"How did you all meet anyways? Last we talked, none of you told me about boyfriends-"

Tobio coughs again.

"Blind dates." mumbles Kenma and Hinata chuckles low in his throat. 

Kuroo nods with the tip of his tongue at his teeth. "You heard him," he winks. 

"I don't believe any of you." 

"I can live with that," Tobio answers and Akaashi heaves a sigh. 

The Italian woman claps. "Food is ready, child," she says as he slides up behind Kenma while Yama hopes over to Tsukki, who is quick to help him stay upright. 

The next few minutes are nothing but gathering everyone into the large dinner room, the table long and glossed, made of dark mahogany. Each place is set with white plates and glasses topped with crimson wine and bowls stuffed with sliced breads and cheeses. The chairs are cushioned with purple velvet and the lights are dimmed yellow and Tobio is so happy that he still has his eye sight. The cooks fill the plates, Kenma insistent on helping as he scoops pasta onto plates and refills glasses as he walks about the table.

He moves to rush off to the kitchen. Kuroo snatches his wrist. "Sit, Kitten. Please," he breathes and Kenma, after a long pauses, agree's and takes his spot beside Kuroo and Yama. 

Dinner is quiet but it's exactly what they all needed as exhausted, they hang over their plates while rested on sore elbows. Their bites are sloppy, their drinks are swallowed fast and their sighs are felt from across the room as they bask in the company they serve each other, beautifully content to sit in the silence as they think back on the days' events. They had all lost someone. They had all lost a family member. They were all in pain and they understood each other. They understood their places, they understood their silences and they accepted them. 

Tobio's stomach crops bloated as he finally drops his fork to his plate and leans back, looking over to see that Hinata hasn't touched his food. His fingers run against Hinata's arm. "You should eat," he whispers and Suga's eyes are quick to go to Hinata. "You haven't ate at all today." 

Hinata's slips tug sideways. "I don't have much of an appetite." 

"Neither do I," says Asahi has he pushes his plate away. 

Noya leans over to rest on Asahi. "Love, you need-" 

"It's okay." Daichi speaks, head in his hands as he looks over at Suga. "I don't think much needs to be said at this moment." 

Suga smiles...spectacularly. _Damn, they were all so beautiful._

"You know," Bokuto speaks against his fist. "Tooru would be pissed at us." Akaashi takes his fiance's hand. "He would be, he hated this. Being so serious." 

"Tobio grins. "You're not wrong. It's why the idiot drank so much." 

" _Tobio_ ," scolds Hinata.

"He did drink a lot." It's Yachi who finally offers up a word. Everyone looks her way, for this is the first time she's spoken since arriving to the house. "I hated it. _He_ hated it." 

"Iwa hated it, too," Suga slurs. 

"How long were they together?" asks Bokuto and all eyes move to Suga. 

"A very long time." 

All of us burn at the intensity of the comment, a hidden message for only us to understand. 

"He never said anything," says Akaashi." 

"They were both...private people," gifts Tanaka and Yachi takes his hand. 

"You all seem like great people." admits Akaashi. "I'm happy for all of you." 

"Thank you," bows Suga. "We-"

Suga screams. Loud as he clutches at his gut and Kuroo and Hinata are on their feet instantly. Daichi pales. "SUGA!" 

Suga falls from his seat as his face ignites red, eyes bulged wide. Daichi collapses beside him. He looks up to Hinata who moves to Suga's side before Kuroo can. "What is happening?" 

"I don't know. Unless-" 

Tsukki curses under his breath. "F-Fuck! No, no," he yells as he looks down at his hands; hands that are now evaporating before Tobio's eyes. 

Bokuto falls from his chair as Yama struggles to keep hold of his Guardian. "Tsukki, what's-" 

"Stay back, Tadashi. Stay-" 

But before he can finish, Tsukki vanishes and the room goes quiet. Yama whimpers as he sags against Tsukki's seat. 

Kenma leaps from his chair and runs to Kuroo, who spins to face Kenma, lips parted before he too vanishes and Kenma collapses against the spot where Kuroo just stood.

Suga coughs on the floor. "T-The trial..." 

"Now?" asks Noya as he jumps to his feet, Asahi close to him, desperately clinging to Noya's hand. 

Tanaka turns to Yachi. "I-I'm sorry-"

She reaches out for him, stammering, crying as then Tanaka is next to vanish. 

As she breaks, I spin to  Hinata, watching him with Suga. Daichi clings to his Guardians hands. "Suga, what can I do?" 

"N-Nothing, love," he whispers sitting up with Hinata's help. "I knew this-this would happen but I didn't know-" 

He screams again, pain washing over the Guardian and Daichi sobs as he watches the man in pain. "Why? What-" 

"No!" We all turn to Noya and Asahi. Asahi claws at the air as he searches around for Noya, eyes leaking as he cries. "N-Noya, no. Come...come back." His head drops. 

At that, Tobio looks back to Hinata, eyes of hazel staring back at him. Hinata jumps up and runs to Tobio, the guardian leaping into Tobio's arms without hesitation and it's not long before they're kissing, deep, heavy, sad. Hinata pants against Tobio and it kills him. "come back tome," gasps Tobio. "Please, please, come back." 

"Yes," he breathes. "Yes, of course. Yes..." 

_Yes._

_Yes..._

Hinata dissolves within his hands. 

Tobio is broken. 

His arms are empty. 

He drops to his knees.

Daichi begins crying, slamming his fists against the floor as finally, Suga disappears. 

All of us stand broken. Empty. 

Akaashi and Bokuto cling to each other with frighten stares. 

None of us care enough to bother them. 

 

_Hinata._


End file.
